


Tell Me What You Want, Alexander

by Cjblack



Series: Tell Me What You Want, Alexander [1]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec has no idea what he's doing, Date Night, First Times, Fluff, Insecure Alec Lightwood, M/M, Magnus Bane takes shit from no one, Magnus is a good boyfriend, Magnus makes breakfast in bed, Magnus makes cocktails, Malec Firsts, Really there's no plot, Romance, relationship milestones, two idiots in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-18
Updated: 2016-12-07
Packaged: 2018-08-09 12:46:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 46,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7802431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cjblack/pseuds/Cjblack
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Magnus and Alec have been dating for a few months now, and it's all so new to Alec...Seriously, if he could maybe make it through one date without feeling like the world's biggest idiot, that'd be great. Good thing Magnus Bane has the patience of a saint, which is ironic considering the whole half-demon thing...</p><p>Or,<br/>Magnus encourages Alec to come out of his shell and they navigate their way together through the ups and downs of a new relationship and love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Manhattans in Brooklyn

**Author's Note:**

> I've never written this pairing before but I love me some Malec, because the chemistry is amazing!! So, I decided to take a stab at it. I haven't read TMI series (although I am aware of the basics), so this work is based primarily off the Shadowhunters TV show.

* * *

TMWYWA has been translated into Russian thanks to the lovely [hebert](http://archiveofourown.org/users/hebert/pseuds/hebert) and can be read [here](https://ficbook.net/readfic/4876062).

* * *

_“Would you like to come in for a drink?”_

Alec knew the words were coming before Magnus even opened his mouth to voice them.

After all, they’d been doing this…dating thing for three months now. First, it had been the little Ethiopian place on Forty-Forth Street where Alec had gotten his second kiss from the High Warlock of Brooklyn and (most embarrassingly) fell down the stairs on his way out of Magnus’s loft. Magnus had never spoke of it, never came after him and made it into a big deal.

No.

Magnus chose a more discreet route and allowed Alec to suffer his mortification in silence. Nevertheless, Alec had still caught a glimpse of him staring down into the street at him from the balcony, checking to see if he’d sustain any lasting damage.

He truly appreciated that.

Then, there was the quaint little Greek eatery where Alec tried some dish with crumbled feta and weird-tasting olives and Alec didn’t care for the food at all but he enjoyed the company immensely. He’d eaten every bite of his meal and insisted to Magnus it was great.

Magnus hadn’t taken him back, since.

Next, was much less formal and Alec’s personal request: bacon burgers, fries, and a chocolate shake take-out from a questionable place in the east village. It had been

and a movie at Magnus’s place, sitting incredibly close to each other and Alec could hardly focus on the film over the sensation of the Warlock’s hip and thigh pressed against his own.

Every.

Single.

Week.

Magnus Bane would insist on taking him on a date. Usually Alec would meet him at the loft, or in a pinch they would meet outside the chosen venue. On one occasion Magnus had decided to arrive outside the Institute so suave and confident and not at all concerned with Maryse’s irritation or Robert’s bafflement or Alec’s dumbfounded stammering. Magnus Bane coming to the New York Institute on business wasn’t unheard of. Magnus Bane coming to the New York Institute to take a male Shadowhunter on a date was a bit more unconventional.

They would sit and eat and talk. Alec would sip whatever cocktail or beverage Magnus suggested and Magnus would smile charmingly at him, purposefully not touching him without asking or letting Alec take initiative first.

It mystified Alec to no end. After the events at his own farce of a wedding, his father had warned that Magnus was known to be a bit of a Lothario.

Yet here he was, here _they_ were, and Magnus was always… _asking permission_.

_‘Can I hold your hand, Alexander?’_

_‘May I kiss you, Darling?’_

And of course, _‘Would you like to come in for a drink?’_

He respected Alec’s boundaries. Magnus didn’t push. He didn’t try to overstep or pressure Alec into doing anything he wasn't comfortable with.

Tonight, had been especially nice.

On a whim, they ended up portalling to a swanky restaurant in _Florence, Italy._ Magnus was dressed in a golden shirt that looked to be made out a fine, satiny material. Every time the light caught just right, the fabric glimmered to match the gold liner along his dark eyes. His hair was styled high, coiffed slightly to the right, and his neck and fingers glittered with his usual jewelry.

Magnus was radiant.

How could anyone be so… _perfect?_

Honestly, for someone who was half-demon, Magnus Bane looked heaven-sent.

Was that blasphemy?

Try as he might, Alec couldn’t stop staring at him. He got lost in the way his eyes crinkled every time he smiled or laughed at something Alec was saying. The whiteness of his teeth gleamed with each grin. His light and airy voice tickled Alec’s skin with every spoken word.

 _Fuck_ , he had butterflies.

Alec was too _old_ for butterflies.

He wondered absently, if Magnus ever felt this way. Or, was he too used to this; too used to first-dates or romances in general, that he’d simply become desensitized to the whole scene?

Shit, what if Alec was _boring_ Magnus?

He didn’t fumble for words nearly as often as he had in the beginning, which was certainly saying something. Conversation between them got a bit easier, smoother. Alec was getting acclimated to having someone focus solely on him for once, instead of Izzy or Jace. It felt really…good.

Amazing, really.

Magnus was an incredible person.

Seriously, what did he even see in Alec?

They’d gone to such a high-end restaurant and he was dressed head to toe in black—a black button-down shirt, black pants, black shoes. He omitted the old jacket, fingerless gloves, and thigh holster for the occasion but he was still so…plain, in comparison.

Dull.

Dreary.

Alec suppressed a groan. _By the Angel,_ he looked more like he was ready for battle instead of on a date with his _boyfriend_ —

“—ander?”

Shaking from his stupor, Alec blinked owlishly and Magnus slid back into focus in front of him. The glow from the street lamp illuminated Magnus’ features. His eyes held nothing but warmth as they gazed at Alec. A small smile adorned his face.

“Sorry? I’m sorry, what did you say?” Alec rasped. Magnus let out a breathy chuckle.

“I asked if you’d like to come in for a drink, Alec. However, I do understand if you need to get going…” his head tilted slightly to the right and Magnus looked up at him thoughtfully. “You seem a bit anxious. Is Maryse recruiting you for something unseemly, again?”

Alec shook his head. “No, no, I’m fine. I’m sorry…just, just lost in thought. I’d love to come. Up, I mean I’d love to come upstairs. For a drink.” He dragged his fingers through his hair and bit back a groan, feeling mortified, but Magnus beamed at him anyways.

“Fantastic! After you, darling.”

**…**

“Can I help?”

From his spot at the minibar, Magnus turned his head over his shoulder to look at Alec. He smiled easily and waved him on over to join him. Alec peeled himself off the black couch and circled around to stand beside his boyfriend. Magnus busied himself, pulling out a few clear bottles of liquid and a variety of glasses and equipment. With a flourished hand wave, a few orange peels and red cherries materialized in a glass bowl.

“That’s handy.”

Magnus winked.

“So, what are we making?” Alec asked curiously as he accepted two glasses from Magnus: one a taller, regular glass and the other a long-stemmed cocktail glass.

“I was thinking Manhattans? You haven’t tried this one yet. Here, take this,” he said, handing Alec a piece of orange peel before placing one in his own glass. Alec frowned and followed suit. “Just a little orange zest. Maraschino cherry next.” He lifted a smaller bottle and shook a few drops into the glass before passing it to Alec.

Alec turned the bottle in his hand to read the label. _Angostura Bitters._

Shrugging, he shook some into his glass, stopping when Magnus put a hand out to indicate he’d added enough.

“Good, that’s good. Okay, pick up your muddler, darling.”

“Come again?” Alec stated, looking around the table in confusion.

Magnus retrieved a short rod made of wood. Alec took it from him, a little spark dancing up his arm when their fingers grazed. It was gone as soon as it came picked up his own muddler and ‘muddled’ the concoction with a practiced motion.

Alec did the same, albeit a bit more on the clumsy side but Magnus didn’t seem to notice. They both added a few ice cubes.

“Hmm, okay, now get your jigger,” he told him and then smirked when Alec blinked once and then scowled at him. “I’m sorry, Angel. You’re so cute when you’re confused, though.” Alec didn’t blush. Really, he didn’t. Nope. “ _This_ ,” he said, picking up one of two metal hourglass-shaped cups with his usual flourish, “is a jigger, Alexander.”

“Jigger. Got it.”

He picked up the second jigger as Magnus passed him a bottle of whiskey. “Just about an ounce and a half, let’s not overdo it. Good, good...now the _Sweet Vermouth_.”

Alec filled it and then poured the last of the liquid into the glass. He mirrored Magnus when the man picked up a long stirring rod and mixed the drink expertly.

“Gently, darling, gently,” Magnus murmured when Alec stirred his a little too enthusiastically.

“Oh, sorry,” Alec mumbled, easing up a little. “You’re really good at this.”

Magnus smirked. “Practice makes perfect. Plus, it’s not that much different than making potions which has always been my niche.”

“Less werewolf fangs, though, I bet.”

“Less werewolf fangs and much more vodka.”

Magnus placed a strainer lid over both his and Alec’s tumblers before he emptied the contents of his own into the cocktail glass.

“…And lastly, another orange zest and cherry for garnish. Presentation is everything.” He placed the fruit into his glass. “ _Voila_. You have just successfully made your first Manhattan, Alec.” Magnus said cheerfully as he lifted his glass and sauntered over to the couch. He slid down onto it gracefully, facing his body sideways and gestured for Alec to sit at his side.

Plopping down, Alec took a timid sip and grimaced at the strong taste of alcohol on his pallet that he still wasn’t quite used to _._ It wasn’t terrible, though; he liked the fruitier taste of it, at least.

“Any news on the Jace front?” Magnus asked him. Over his cocktail glass, he seemed to be gaging Alec’s reaction. He didn’t often bring up the topic of Alec’s brother—especially on date night. They had to deal with the imminent threat of Valentine and the Circle enough at work, as it were.

“No…I can’t even feel him really. I can feel through our bond that he’s alive. Other than that, nothing.”

Alec frowned into his glass, and shifted slightly so that he was curled in a little closer to Magnus. Their knees bumped.

Alec’s heart skipped a beat but he didn’t pull away.

 _Magnus_ didn’t even seem phased by the touch.

Alec swallowed—how was it that his _knees_ were tingling right now? Could knees even _be_ an erogenous zone?

“I’m sorry Alec,” Magnus murmured. Genuine concern glimmered in his eyes and Alec couldn’t help but feel captivated by the way they peered at him—through him—paired with the sensation of their _knees_ pressed against each other.

His own eyes flitted to Magnus’ soft lips, suddenly captivated by their color and the graceful slope of his cupid’s bow. He wanted to kiss Magnus.

_Badly._

Well, not a _bad_ kiss, but a good one. He very badly wanted a _good_ kiss. He’d forfeit his favorite bow if it would get him a—

He felt Magnus’ breath graze his lips and he blinked rapidly, startled, because when had he leaned forward? Or was it Magnus who’d come closer to him?

Maybe they’d met halfway in mutual interest, Alec decided hazily.

“May I kiss you, Alexan—” Alec’s mouth descended onto Magnus’s fervently. Magnus’s lips were smooth and, _By the Angel_ , always so tender _._ Their mouths moved together with familiarity and ease. _Kissing_ he could do.

Perhaps not as expertly as Magnus, but Magnus never complained. In fact, he had been more than willing to help Alec hone the skill over the past couple months.

It wasn’t until Magnus pulled away from him rapidly, swearing out loud, that Alec’s growing confidence wilted.

“Shit—what? I’m sorry, was that bad?” Alec, leaning back into the couch.

“No, no, the _kissing_ wasn’t bad. It’s never bad, darling. You just, I think you spilled your drink.” Magnus said breathlessly. Looking down, he plucked at his wet shirt. “Plus, I’m quite fond of this shirt.”

“Damn it. I’m so sorry. I didn’t even realize…”

“Hey,” Magnus said. He crooked a finger and tilted Alec’s head back up. “Relax, Alec. I can change my shirt with a snap of my fingers.” Alec nodded against the hand beneath his chin.

“Or you could—” the words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them and Alec broke off abruptly. Magnus raised an eyebrow inquisitively and Alec could feel his face warm up considerably.

“I could what, Alexander?” Magnus pressed.

“I mean…you don’t have to change your shirt. You could just—you could just take that one off. If that’s easier. If you wanted to.”

_Why was he like this?_

Magnus looked a little taken aback.

 _Fuck_.

Where was a good old _shax_ demon attack, when you needed one?

“You wouldn’t be trying to get me out of my clothes tonight, would you, Alec?” Magnus teased.

“No! No, sorry. That was...I’m sorry about your shirt, Magnus,” Alec apologized. He scrubbed a hand down his face and wondered if he should just call it a night before he made a bigger clumsy fool of himself.

“I told you not to worry about that.” Magnus admonished. “Alec…do you _want_ me to take off my shirt?”

Alec bit his lip so hard that he was pretty sure his incisor was going to puncture it any second.

“I—I don’t know. Maybe? If you want to. I don’t…” he fumbled, desperate to string together the right thing to say without coming off as a creep. He wondered dejectedly, if there was somebody he could hire to guide him through their dates. Perhaps hold up cue cards, even.

“Alexander, please.” He brought his hands up to rest lightly against the collar of his shirt. “Just tell me. There’s no reason to be so nervous. I’m certainly not going to judge you for telling me what you want.”

Alec swallowed his heart that had clearly risen in his throat, which proved difficult to do when his mouth was dry as the Sahara.

“I want—I want youtotakeoffyourshirt.” The corners of the Warlock’s mouth quirked upwards, satisfied, and he kept eye contact with the Shadowhunter as he leisurely undid the buttons of his expensive shirt with deft fingers.

_By the Angel._

Blaring sirens that rivalled the ones at the Institute went off in his head.

Because Magnus was taking off his shirt.

Magnus. Bane. Was. Taking. Off. His. Shirt.

Oh, he’d seen other men shirtless before. He’d ogled at his Parabatai countless of times. But this man—this _gorgeous_ man was Alec’s _boyfriend_.

A man who was actually attracted to Alec and Alec was most definitely attracted _to_.

A man who was the High Warlock of Brooklyn.

A man who could easily have any other man or woman he desired but chose _Alec_ of all people.

A man, who was removing his shirt because Alec _asked_ him to.

His heart was going to rupture. He was going to bleed out on Magnus’s meticulous floor and die. Right there.

As far as deaths went, it wouldn’t be a bad way to go.

Magnus’s gaze never wavered as he peeled back his shirt, shirking it off his broad shoulders, and Alec was convinced his eyes were going to pop out of his head because the man was _fucking hot._

_Really, really hot._

Fantasy-worthy, frankly.

But Alec didn’t have to fantasize, because Magnus was real. Tangible. Presently standing before him, half-naked, his skin bronzed—smooth and flawless, his chest defined and stomach firm, with valleys between hard muscles and—

Oh.

Well.

He didn’t expect that.

Magnus cleared his throat. “Warlock mark. Does it bother you?” For once, Magnus sounded _shy_.

Almost like…

Almost like Magnus was feeling self-conscious.

Like…he was sincerely concerned Alec would be turned-off or disgusted by him not having a belly button.

Insecurity was Alec’s niche; it did not _suit_ Magnus Bane.

“Not at all. You’re _perfect_. Seriously.”

Seriously.

His arms were _strong_. Alec had strong arms, of course. Years of training would do that to the body. For Alec, it was expected because he was a Shadowhunter, a warrior, a soldier. But Magnus, Magnus didn’t require physical strength: he had _magic_.

Yet, he had all _this_ , kept tucked away under pricey designer shirts? Alec could pick up Magnus if he wanted to, but the thought that Magnus could probably do the same to _him_ , hold him in those well-muscled arms tightly, ignited a tiny thrill in the clandestine depths of his mind that he never dared to voice. Alec wanted to run his hands along his shoulders, down those arms. He wanted to map out the planes of Magnus’s firm, smooth chest and abs that tapered into his—okay, he needed to _stop_.

“Alec,” Magnus began cautiously, “Would it be too bold of me to ask you to take off your shirt, as well? You can say no if you’d rather not. I won’t be upset.” Alec swallowed again, eyes tearing away from Magnus’s body to meet the warlock’s once more.

Alec’s nod was a bit jerky. “Y-yeah. Sure.”

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Magnus reminded him.

“I don’t mind.” Alec told him. “It’s not like you haven’t seen me shirtless before, right?” he laughed, trying to conceal the emotional whirlwind of his nerves and excitement from him.

It wasn’t that Alec was ashamed of his body. He was in good shape, after all. He didn’t think twice about being shirtless when he was training.

Then again, he’d never been gawked at so blatantly before like Magnus had when he walked in on him striking the punching bag at the Institute.

He unbuttoned his shirt hurriedly and shrugged it off, letting it drop onto the couch carelessly.

Magnus leered unabashedly. “I said it once and I’ll say it again: I like what I see, my angel.”

_My angel._

_MY_ angel _._

There were the fucking butterflies again.

Magnus flopped back onto the couch, crossed his leg nonchalantly, and beckoned for Alec to sit with him once more.

This time, without their shirts.

Magnus had his left arm stretched along the back of the couch and Alec eased himself down into the spot beside his boyfriend, reveling when said arm came to press along the back of his shoulders.

It wasn’t…much.

But it felt good.

Intimate.

And the beauty of it was—this was it. This was as far as they needed to go, because Magnus had told him a hundred times that he didn’t expect anything from Alec. They could just…sit side by side, shirtless.

Free, if he wished, to seek something more.

Free, to seek nothing more at all, if that’s what he wanted.

Zero expectations.

Alec sunk a little further into Magnus’s side, enthralled by the sensation of their skin touching.

It was warm. Comforting. Magnus gave him a pleased hum, and reached over to pick up his own cocktail off the side table.

“Shall I make you another Manhattan, Alexander? Or I could whip up something else, if you’d prefer?” he offered. Alec shook his head and his eyes fluttered shut, feeling more at peace than he had since Jace disappeared into that portal with Valentine.

“No thank you,” he whispered sleepily, head dropping onto Magnus’s shoulder in sheer contentment. “I like Brooklyn much better, anyway.”

* * *

 


	2. Movies, Talks, and Foggy Windows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was pleasantly surprised how well-received my one-shot was, so I decided to post another one. Someone wanted Magnus's POV which was decidedly harder for me to do, but I tried. This post is more on the Mature side but it doesn't go into incredibly Explicit detail. I hope it's not completely terrible.

* * *

 

If someone had told Magnus a hundred years ago that he’d be dating a Nephilim, he would’ve struck down the ill-informed being with some top-notch warlock magic.

Yet, here he was, in his lair—uh, loft—with a black-haired, hazel-eyed, rune-covered Shadowhunter pinned between Magnus’s body and his leather futon that had a bleeding werewolf on it a little over four months prior.

Best not to dwell on that minor detail.

_Oh, Alexander._

The boy was beautiful. Selfless, thoughtful, perhaps not the most eloquent at times, but Magnus chalked that up to Alec’s nerves getting the best of him. Honestly, Magnus found it quite charming. Despite the Shadowhunter’s anxiety around Magnus, he was delightful company; he asked questions about Magnus’s life without trying too hard to pry (Magnus appreciated that tidbit), he was open to try new things even if a little cautious, and he truly was interested in Magnus.

Him.

A warlock.

A being Alec was raised to distrust and dislike.

At his age, there wasn’t much that could shock Magnus Bane…he’d pretty much seen it all. From times of peace to times of war and genocide, from the formation of new nations to the fall of others. From the invention of the telegraph to the texting revolution. From horse-and-buggy to sportscars.

Over four hundred years worth of changing and experience--

Huh.

Rewind.

Alec would look really sexy in the passenger’s side of a sportscar, sunglasses on, adorably messy bedhead ruffling in the breeze...

Oh, he was so going to have to purchase one on Monday…even if he had to pay an arm and a leg for parking in the City.

Magnus’s tongue laved against Alec’s lower lip teasingly before plunging back in to duel with his tongue once again. Magnus raised his hips slightly off of Alec’s. Things were getting too heated, time to calm it down.

Truthfully he wanted nothing more than to grind his body into Alec’s, settle himself in between the boy’s legs and hump the living daylights out of him. He didn’t even care if he had to leave his pants on for the occasion.

 _No_.

 _Down boy_ , he mentally encouraged his cock. _You may not defile this tasty little morsel. He’s not ready, yet._

Maybe he wouldn’t ever be ready. Or maybe he would decide he didn’t want to reach that level of intimacy with Magnus Bane.

As much as he would most assuredly enjoy the intimacy, Magnus wasn’t in it for the sex. He could easily walk into his club and hook up with nearly any man or woman there if he wanted. It wouldn’t be the first time, after all. No, Alexander Lightwood was…a special case. In fact, he became so special to Magnus so disturbingly fast that it made his head spin if he thought about it too much.

Alec had rendered the powerful High Warlock of Brooklyn into a smitten adolescent, and, what was most mind-blowing to Magnus was that he didn’t even care. He didn’t care if he’d declared before that he would never risk his life or bother with these Shadowhunters. He didn’t care if he had previously vowed to never let himself fall so hard again.

Alexander was like a drug and Magnus didn’t want to sober up, even if it meant another inevitable heartbreak.

Fuck though, he secretly hoped Alec wouldn’t break his heart. It had been a bumpy road thus far, but they'd finally gotten to a place where they could be together as a couple.

Seriously—the younger man had fled from the alter at his own wedding to plant one on Magnus in front of his parents and esteemed members of the clave. That had been _hot as hell._

Magnus might’ve jerked off a couple times to that moment—the intensity, the feel of nervous but determined lips on his, nimble long fingers gripping into the lapels of his (new favorite) jacket. That moment, and these moments every time they’d gotten together since, with Alec’s tongue in Magnus’s mouth and vice versa.

It took every ounce of self-control Magnus possessed not to seek more. He was a hot-blooded warlock after all, but...he refused to ruin this thing he had with Alec. Alec was so _good_. Such a kind and generous heart inside a warrior’s body.

Plus, the young man was a straight-up virgin.

Well, definitely not _straight_ per say.

Alec broke their kiss to pant heavily against Magnus’s face. Magnus propped himself up on his arms over Alec and peered down inquisitively into those big Bambi-eyes of his.

“All right, darling?” Magnus asked him softly, trying to figure out if he’d done anything wrong, if he’d gone too far or gotten too careless.

Alec bit his lip (for fuck’s sake, how he didn’t know how sexy he was, was beyond Magnus), and his brow furrowed as he reached up with one hand to grip at Magnus’s forearm where it was placed beside Alec’s head to prop himself up.

“Yeah, it’s just…you pulled away. Did I do something wrong?”

Oh.

Magnus smiled at him gently. “No, darling, not at all,” he let out a long chuckling breath and he pulled himself up to kneel on the couch so that Alec could shimmy out from underneath him and sit up. “I pulled away because you were doing everything _right_.”

His hand came up to smooth the crease between Alec’s nicely arched eyebrows. “I don’t get it,” Alec said blankly. Magnus sighed again fondly and gestured to his crotch where his tight pants still tented a little uncomfortably. “I didn’t want my obvious excitement to overwhelm you, Alexander. Forgive me.”

The hazel eyes widened in realization and he opened his mouth but no words came from those kiss-bruised lips for a moment. Then, “What if I wanted—” Alec stopped short and that charming blush rose into his cheeks.

Magnus heart did an annoying flip. He was so _besotted_ by this Shadowhunter. _Damn it all._

If Ragnor was still alive, he could only _imagine_ the phone calls the prickly Brit would’ve made to an ornery Raphael for the sake of ridiculing and mocking Magnus.

“’Wanted’ what?” Magnus asked him curiously. Alec wagged his head like he was trying to ward off flies and Magnus could actually _see_ the brunette withdraw into himself.

Magnus brought a careful hand up to cup Alec’s face and smiled when he leaned into the touch unconsciously. His thumb trailed along Alec’s lower lip tenderly and he couldn’t help but admire the redness and plumpness of those lips.

Stunning.

“Alexander, ‘wanted’ _what_?” he asked again, insistent and hell-bent on not letting the brunette retreat into his own mind again. Magnus knew enough about human psychology (though he never actually _knew_ Sigmund Freud; minor exaggeration on his part), to understand what was going on in there. Alexander Lightwood was entirely too self-deprecating.

But, with parents like Maryse and Robert, who could blame the guy? He’d spent his entire life too ashamed to be who he was and trying way too hard to win their approval only to be overlooked and shot down most of the time.

“I…what if I wanted to be, uh—‘ _overwhelmed’_?”

_Lord, help him._

A beat. “ _Alexander_ ,” Magnus started, tasting each syllable on his tongue as he murmured his name, “is that some roundabout way of telling me you want to get off tonight?”

Alec’s mouth hung open a bit like he didn’t have any idea how to form words in response. Magnus leaned over to kiss him soundly on the lips before leaning just enough to whisper in his ear, “You only need to ask, darling. I won’t be bothered by anything you say. You just have to tell me what you want, Alexander.”

He reveled in the little shiver that rolled through Alec’s body as he spoke and he reached his left hand down to lace their fingers together encouragingly.

“I mean—yeah, and you too, if you want to,” mumbled Alec, flushed and Magnus squeezed his hand.

“I asked you what you wanted, Alec. I’ll tell you what I want in a moment, so don’t think about me when deciding. Please, be blunt with me, okay? Do you want to explore a little bit?”

Alec’s eyes fluttered shut and his Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat but after a painfully long moment he said “Y-yes.”

Magnus beamed. “Well I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to, too, darling.”

“This is embarrassing. Talking about it. Shouldn’t these things just happen—you know, without having to discuss it first?”

“Sweetheart, if you can’t _discuss_ sex with me, then that just tells me that you’re not ready to _have_ sex,” Magnus said frankly and internally cringed because he didn't mean for it to sound condescending. Really, he didn't. It seemed that it came out that way, anyways, and Alec looked both shocked and upset. The taller man had scooted back to the opposite end of the couch and Magnus sighed again.

_Well, there goes his erection._

“I don’t mean to upset you, Alec. I understand it’s awkward to talk about in the beginning. Nevertheless, for this to work, we need to be able to communicate freely with each other. Otherwise someone could get hurt, and that is the last thing I want to happen."

Alec looked dejected.

Slowly, purposefully avoiding Magnus’s gaze, Alec nodded his head. He had his long arms wrapped around himself in a hug.

A defensive pose; he was trying to close himself off.

How disappointing.

“I-I get it okay? Sorry. I'm just not really in the mood anymore,” Alec muttered eventually as he stared stubbornly at the coffee table, and Magnus agreed softly.

“I understand, darling. How about we watch a movie, instead?” Alec’s head snapped up towards him, puzzled.

“You’re not asking me to leave?” Magnus frowned at him in confusion.

“Why on earth would I want you to leave?”

“B-because I…”

Magnus cocked his head to the side. “Because you’re not in the mood to fool around? Alec, I’m not here for that. I’m not with you for sex. I’m with you for you. Surely you know that.”

Alec’s eyes were jaded and Magnus’s heart sank. “Alexander, can I hold you?”

Alec didn’t give him a verbal response but he was quick to move back down the couch in order to sink into Magnus’s embrace. They sat in a more comfortable silence for a moment before finally, “It doesn’t bother you that it’s been like, four months and we haven’t done _anything_?”

“’Haven’t done anything?’” Magnus repeated incredulously. “The hickeys on your neck and the state of your hair says otherwise, Angel.” Alec snorted at that and Magnus grinned at him.

“Good things come to those who wait, my dear,” Magnus continued. “There’s no schedule to follow, no set standards or expectations I’m holding you to, all right? So you can breathe easy and we can just enjoy the moment...movie?”

“Yeah Magnus, a movie would be great.”

**…**

“That was bullshit, there was plenty of room on the door for both of them,” Alec declared irritably.

Magnus snorted into his third cocktail, his other hand carded through the thick strands of the Shadowhunter’s dark head of hair pillowed in his lap.

“It’s supposed to be romantic, Alexander. The ultimate sacrifice to save the woman he loved. Plus, I don’t think the door would’ve stayed buoyant with both of their combined weights.”

Alec scoffed indignantly. “Then take turns…I don’t know; I just don’t see how she could’ve just let him die if she truly loved him. She didn’t even _try_ to find another solution.” Magnus brushed his finger along Alec’s ear and smiled when the other man’s breathing hitched. He continued down the runed neck, knowing full well how sensitive Alec was there, too.

“It's an epic Hollywood love story based on a twentieth-century tragedy. What did you expect?” he asked teasingly.

“Hmm, right, but it just didn’t seem believable though. They knew each other for what? A couple of weeks? And suddenly he’s drawing her naked and they're messing around in a car and she’s _seventeen_.”

Yes, a new car would be a fantastic investment.

“They actually couldn’t have known each other for more than five days. That’s how long the Titanic was on its Maiden Voyage before it hit the iceberg in April of nineteen-twelve.” Magnus told him matter-of-factly.

Alec scoffed and rolled onto his back so he could stare straight up at him.

“Five days?” Alec repeated incredulously.

“Five days, darling.”

Alec had a strange look in his eyes suddenly and Magnus, for the ever-immortal-life of him couldn’t place an emotion to it.

Annoyance?

Defiance?

Determination?

A little of everything, maybe?

“Where’s my damn phone?” Alec grumbled then, and the warmth of his head on Magnus’s thighs disappeared as he rolled off of the couch quickly and stalked over to where Magnus had plugged in his iPhone for him. The Nephilim was scowling as he scrolled through his texts and Magnus stood up and came over to his side.

“What’s wrong, Alec?” Magnus felt the mood dampen as Alec held out his phone to let him read the messages from his sister and parents:

 

IZZY (1:26am): Hey just a heads up! Moms totally tweaking because you're not back from your date yet. Actually shes been on a rampage since you left to meet Magnus but what else is new

IZZY (1:27am): And dad looks really uncomfortable. Idk if it's because mom is driving him nuts or if he thinks his oldest son is getting deflowered by a warlock

IZZY (1:36am): I'm going to bed. Mom had me on patrol til midnight and I'm beat. Have fun with your man ;) don't do anything I wouldn't do big brother! Love you <3 xoxo

 

 

MOTHER (1:28am): Alec, where are you? It's getting late.

MOTHER (1:32): I realize you are on a 'date' with that warlock but to be out this late is both improper and disrespectful. What will it look like to the people at the Institute when my son is returning home at this hour? It's indecent.

MOTHER (1:45am): Be rest assured that we will be discussing your behavior in great length, Alec.

MOTHER (2:09): Enough of your childish rebellion. Return home at once.

 

 

FATHER (1:29): Alec, your mother is getting very upset.

FATHER (1:47): It would be in everyone's best interest if you stopped ignoring your mother's messages and came home immediately.

 

...Magnus heaved a sigh. It was clear Maryse and Robert Lightwood didn't care about their son's happiness over their desire for both redemption and respect for their last name. No wonder Alec was so far deep in the closet his entire life. He deserved better. “I'm sorry Alec, I didn’t even realize it was after two. I suppose you need to get back to the Institute, then? I can portal you back, if you want. It’ll be quicker.”

Alec wasn’t listening to him, though. Instead, he stared at his phone with a furrowed brow and his bottom lip caught between his teeth like he was trying to decide on something. Magnus watched as his thumbs tap away at the screen with a new resolve.  

He set the phone back down on the shelf where it was charging. “I told Izzy I was going to stay the night,” Alec began hesitatingly and his head turned and eyes rose to meet Magnus’s. “If that is all right with you?”

Magnus felt warmth spread through his chest and limbs and he couldn’t keep the grin from breaking across his face. He just barely managed to refrain from doing a small victory dance at the development.

Barely.

“Why of course, Angel. You are always welcome to stay.”

“Good. I mean, thanks. But good, too. Because I want—” he took a deep breath and then stepped closer to Magnus unwaveringly. He reached out to tug Magnus to him, a hand resting along the back of Magnus’s neck and he kissed him with all that he had.

It was like the kiss at the wedding all over again—Alec finally allowing himself to decide what he wanted. Magnus’s brought both his hands up to grip Alec’s hips tightly and deepened their kiss by flicking his tongue along the seam of his lips.

After a heated minute, Magnus forced himself to retract his mouth and whispered lowly to Alec, “What is it that you want, Alexander?”

Alec shifted his weight slightly but didn’t pull away from the warlock. “They knew each other for five days,” he huffed, causing Magnus's eyebrows to shoot up in surprise at the frustrated tone of Alec’s voice.

“Uh, right?”

“We’ve been together for four months, Magnus.” Alec told him.

“I’m aware, dearest.” Magnus responded, completely perplexed.

“Well, if they can--after five days, we sure as hell should be able to after _four months_.”

“Alexander, are you in competition with two, fictionally _dead_ characters right now?” Magnus asked, laughing a little.

“No. Well, yes. Maybe. Damn it...Magnus, I don't know exactly what I'm doing, here. I'm not completely comfortable talking about--about everything in detail just yet. I know it'll get easier in time, but just because I'm an awkward idiot doesn't mean I don't want to do  _anything_ at all. You're really amazing. You are kind and patient and great to be with. I want to explore this, I want to-to 'enjoy the moment' with you. That is…if you want to too?” Those hazel eyes were astonishingly vulnerable and hopeful and Magnus had to puse him into another kiss.

"Of course I want that," Magnus closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "Alec...it's been so long since I've wanted an _actual relationship_ with someone. I just didn't want to ruin this by rushing into something you might not be comfortable with, yet."

"You're not rushing me. I want this, too."

"Well then, do you want to show Jack and Rose who the hotter couple is?" Magnus asked, his voice sounding husky as he gestured carelessly in the general direction of the TV mounted on the wall. Alec gave him his silly crooked grin that had been charming Magnus since the day of their very first meeting.

"Shouldn't be too difficult, y'know, because of the whole hypothermia thing."

Magnus stared at him. "That's just _cold_ , Alec." He grinned evilly at his pun. Alec let out a genuine laugh.

“...You must think I’m crazy.”

“Hm, I believe we are all a little crazy, my darling Alexander. That’s just...one of many symptoms. Bedroom or couch?”

Alec glanced over to the couch curiously and then at his bedroom door with a faint blush on his cheeks. “B-bedroom?”

“Is that what you want?”

Alec nodded once and cleared his throat.

“Yes.”

**…**

“By the angel!” gasped Alec shakily. Magnus could feel him trembling a little from the aftershocks of his orgasm. Magnus smiled hazily and dropped fully down onto Alec’s body to kiss him languidly. Their naked chests were slick with sweat and although they’d decided to keep their pants on, Magnus was positive he hadn’t enjoyed himself this much in a long time.

Who would’ve thought he could still get off from dry-humping his boyfriend like a fifteen-year-old horny teenager? Certainly not Magnus. Nevertheless, here he was, panting into Alec’s mouth after coming in his underwear and he couldn’t bring himself to _care_ because now Magnus _knew_.

He now knew what Alec looked like when he came—his mouth opened in a silent cry, his eyes clenched tightly and head coming up to bury itself into Magnus shoulder. He knew what it _felt_ like when Alec’s legs wound themselves around his waist and his thighs quivered and his body quaked in pleasure.

 _Gorgeous_.

He placed a kiss to the damp rune on Alec’s neck, smirking and secretly pleased that the skin there was littered with love-bites and purplish bruises. Alec's neck was incredibly sensitive.

“Are you all right, Alexander?” he murmured into his ear.

“Y-yeah. You?” Alec whispered.

“I am doing splendid, darling.” He slowly sat up and climbed off of his boyfriend before collapsing over to his side. “I could use a shower though.” He chuckled easily. “You’re welcome to use my shower first, Alec. Or I could just use magic to clean your clothes for you. Your choice."

There was that adorable blush again but Alec didn’t falter. “Um, magic is fine. I don’t have anything to change into…” he grimaced as he sat up onto his arms and Magnus could relate to the unpleasant feeling of drying come on the skin.

“I would offer something but you’re taller than me. Though, I have to admit the thought of you wearing my shorts is particularly enticing…” He leered a little, trying to picture the Shadowhunter's lovely posterior in Magnus's shorts.

Enticing, indeed.

Alec’s snort told him his answer.

“Nah, I’m good. Maybe—maybe some other time.”

Magnus wouldn’t lose hope.

With a flourishing wave of his hand, he cleaned Alec up in seconds before leaning down to press a gentle kiss to the Nephilim’s brow. “I’ll be in the shower, darling. I like to keep up with my night-time regimen. Moisturizing and all that. If you need anything just help yourself. Otherwise, I’ll be back in a jiff.” He strode over to his ensuite bathroom before pausing in the door-jam to look back at the pretty and thoroughly sated boy on his bed. He snapped his fingers and half a dozen magazines popped up onto the duvet beside Alec. “Also, I’m getting myself a sportscar on Monday. Help me pick one, okay?”

“I don’t know a thing about cars, Magnus. It’s a Mundane thing. Do you even have a Mundane license?”

Magnus scoffed. “Sweetheart, I owned one of the very first automobiles ever made. _Of course_ I have my driver’s license.”

Alec raised an eyebrow as he regarded him sluggishly. “Um, right. Well, I still don’t know cars. Are you sure you trust my judgement?”

Magnus sighed and rolled his eyes dramatically. “Yes, you silly little Nephilim. Just pick one you think I’ll look sexiest in and perhaps with enough room to… _thoroughly_ enjoy it’s interior.” He smirked salaciously and disappeared into the bathroom before the realization could reach Alec’s eyes.

However, when his boyfriend’s voice called through the door teasing and with newly discovered boldness, _“I think leather would be easiest to clean, Magnus, don't you think?”_   And then, _"Do you think we could get the windows to fog like that in real life?"_ Magnus nearly fell gracelessly onto the marbled floor. Maybe a good "O" was all the guy needed in order to gain some confidence, or maybe said confidence had come to him because he didn't have to actually face Magnus as he teased him.

Either way, what he knew for sure was that Alexander Lightwood would never cease to amaze him.

Magnus didn't know if he wanted to laugh or cry or blow something up with a twitch of his perfectly manicured hand because...

He looked at his reflection in the mirror and, plucking a make-up remover cloth from its package, he worked on wiping away the dark liner around his eyes.

...because fuck, if Magnus said he wasn't falling in love with that doe-eyed, smart-mouthed, half-angel in his bedroom, he'd be lying through his teeth.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh I kind of hated this one. I'm only posting it at this point because I didn't want to delete several hours worth of writing and pulling my hair out for nothing. Sorry if you hated it, too. Maybe I'll right smut next time to make myself feel better.
> 
> Also, why can't I figure out how to embed pictures on here? :(


	3. Confessions and Butterflies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just some short Malec fluff since I haven't updated this in over a month. Probably a longer one next time. Enjoy :)

* * *

When Alec awoke one morning, three things immediately came to mind: One, he was alone in a bed much too big to ever be alone in. Two, he had received an impromptu blowjob last night from his warlock boyfriend. Three, he was almost positive the aroma coming from Magnus’s kitchen was an intoxicating combination of coffee and bacon.

Rewind.

Blowjob.

Magnus gave him a _blowjob_ last night.

Holy wow.

Wait, did he?

…Or had Alec been dreaming?

Dreaming a really, really fantastic dream…

Blinking his hazel eyes owlishly, Alec shifted himself up to lean with his back against the headboard and looked around the room. Magnus’s bed was super comfortable—Alec had discovered that several weeks ago when he’d first worked up the courage to stay the night.

Shit…he needed proof; some confirmation that last night truly happened. Lifting the red duvet up, he peeked onto the satiny sheets for any signs of…well…evidence.

Nothing.

That could just be because Magnus was just that skilled at swall—

Alec shook that thought out of his head.

 _Magic!_ He was just that skilled at _magic_ and surely Magnus would keep his sheets in pristine condition at all times. He sighed heavily and his gaze moved from the sheets and onto his bared legs.

Okay, he was wearing a black tank top and his equally black boxer-briefs. That wasn’t unusual sleeping attire for him…his hand twitched slightly, fingers traveling nervously to the waistband of his underpants and he gingerly lifted them up to peek—by the angel—was he _doing?_

What was Alec even _looking_ for here? It’s not like the words _‘Magnus Bane was here’_ would be written in glitter on his crotch. He let the elastic snap back against his abdomen, feeling utterly pathetic.

It _had_ to have happened. Alec remembered everything so vividly; Magnus’s hot mouth, his expert tongue flicking and sucking and giving him the sweetest torture he’d ever known, all while staring up at Alec, watching him intently through his lashes, gaging his reaction, every little sound he couldn’t seem to hold back…

Shit, he…he needed to stop thinking about that. His eyes flickered over to the ornate clock hung on the wall across the room. A few minutes past eight-thirty…a little later than usual for him. Maybe he really did have an orgasm last night and it caused him to over-sleep in order to recuperate.

He was an idiot. That’s such a dumb thought.

At that moment the bedroom door opened and Magnus walked in, carrying a wooden tray with filled with bacon, eggs, toast, and fruit on a plate, paired with a small glass of orange juice and coffee. As much as he loved coffee and bacon, what caught Alec’s eye the most was a slim little white vase with a single red rose in it. A romantic little garnish. How Magnus.

He found himself smiling widely, little flurries of butterflies fluttering through his belly and chest. Seriously, one of these days he would probably open his mouth and start projectile vomiting butterflies.

Magnus stopped short when he saw him sitting up in bed and smiled his usual, charming smile. “Alexander, you’re awake! Perfect timing…” he strode over to the bed and leaned forward to place the tray across Alec’s knees before sitting himself on the edge beside him. “I hope you’re hungry,” Magnus continued, his hand coming up to pull him closer and he placed a chaste kiss to Alec’s cheek—his _cheek_ , because he knew how self-conscious Alec was about kissing when he still had morning breath.

“This is all for me?” he asked softly, even though _that_ was stupid—it was obvious who the food was for. Magnus just smiled gently, never scoffing or _telling_ him he was stating the obvious. Instead he just inclined his head graciously.

“Yes, darling. I hope everything is to your liking.”

“I— _thank you,_ Magnus…but what about you?” Alec asked, picking up his fork and taking a bite of eggs. Magnus grinned somewhat apologetically.

“Eh…I might have eaten my weight in bacon and strawberries while cooking breakfast for you, Angel,” he told him with a chuckle. He shifted onto the bed more, careful not to disrupt the tray in his boyfriend’s lap, and shimmied down beside him, back against the headboard as well. He snapped his fingers and a cup of steaming coffee appeared in his painted hands.

They sat in a relaxed silence for several minutes, Alec eating his breakfast (his breakfast _in bed_ that his boyfriend _made_ for him and _delivered_ to him while he was in the man’s _bed_. _His bed_.), and Magnus leaned against him cozily, sipping his coffee. Pausing to take a drink of his orange juice, Alec turned his head to look at the warlock.

He hadn’t an ounce of make-up. His hair wasn’t styled elaborately and he wore no fancy clothes or jewelry (besides the piercings in his ears). He was in his dark purple harem pants and a tight black tank top that showed of his muscled arms and golden skin that Alec was always so captivated by. It was a very simple look by Bane-standards.

He looked incredible.

Magnus _always_ looked incredible.

Magnus caught him staring and his eyebrows raised curiously. “Are you all right?” Alec spluttered awkwardly for a split second, embarrassed at being caught ogling.

“No—I mean yes, I’m fine. You’re just…”

Magnus tilted his head to the side, looking concerned.

“Did I do something to upset you, Alec?”

“I—no—perfect! You’re just always so perfect, Magnus,” he whispered finally. Magnus looked startled at his proclamation and then his eyes shined brightly with a glimmer of something that Alec couldn’t assign an emotion to, and he glanced away almost…shyly.

“I am _definitely_ not perfect, Alexander,” he said after a moment and… _what_ was that emotion, though? Alec frowned deeply.

“You are to me. I mean, I know no one is truly perfect, but you’re pretty damn close, you know? By the angel, Magnus, you’re like one of the most incredible people I’ve ever met,” Alec mumbled, toying with his fork between his fingers, his admission almost overwhelming him, because he suddenly wanted to tell Magnus he…

“Aku cinta kamu,” Magnus whispered so quietly, so _certainly_ though, and he bit his lip, looking hesitantly into Alec’s big eyes. Alec’s heart stuttered in his chest and he spoke, his voice sounding distant, like he was having an out of body experience.

“What does that mean?” he asked, finally setting his fork down onto the tray.

“It’s Indonesian. It means…it means _‘I love you’_ , Alexander.” Alec swallowed heavily and drew in a shaking breath, the flapping of tiny wings in his chest became more persistent than ever before and he licked his lips once before opening his mouth to say, of course—

“Is it possible to throw up butterflies?” his jaw snapped shut in horror, because that was absolutely, positively, not what he was supposed to say after his boyfriend just declared his love to him for the very first time! Magnus’s eyes widened and he looked at Alexander like he’d grown three heads and was doing the Macarena butt-ass naked and oh _God_ what the _fuck_ was wrong with him? He wanted to cry.

“Pardon me?” Magnus asked, puzzled.

“I mean, shit, Magnus, no _, I love you too!”_ he said hurriedly, but it didn’t matter, because Alec had just ruined the moment. He ruined everything…

He really could cry right now, and he _never_ cried.

His _boyfriend_ , Magnus Bane, the High Warlock of Brooklyn, just told him he loved him. Magnus. Loved. _Him_. Alec Lightwood. And Alec loved him too, more than he thought he could ever love someone who wasn’t his family or his parabatai. He was _in_ love with Magnus. That’s what this was. It was…it was the most extraordinary thing he’d ever felt in his entire lifetime, and Alec, Alec just screwed up what was supposed to be a huge deal. A milestone; but his brain and mouth apparently functioned on different wave-lengths and were unwilling to correlate at even the biggest moments in Alec’s life.

He waited for Magnus to deck him, or, at the very least, portal him back to the institute in his underwear because honestly, Alec would deserve that at this point.

Magnus did neither of those things. Instead, he set his coffee cup onto the tray before removing it from Alec’s lap and onto the nightstand. Then, Magnus’s hands rose up to Alec’s face, warm palms nestling on either side of his face, and kissed him so deeply that Alec was left breathless by the time they parted, his brain rapidly becoming a melting pile of goo.

“My silly little Nephilim,” Magnus murmured tenderly, his thumbs stroking along his cheekbones as his eyes glowed with love— _love,_ that was it… _that_ was the emotion he’d seen before, Alec realized. “Don’t you ever, _ever_ change, Alexander Lightwood.”

 

* * *

 


	4. Magnus vs. Maryse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> NO ONE messes with Magnus Bane's date-night. **Some naughty stuff at the end. Feel free to skip over the last chunk if you're not interested!

* * *

 

Magnus Bane was _not_ in a particularly great mood.

At six-thirty in the morning, he’d gotten off the phone with an outraged Raphael, who had ranted on and on about Camille’s latest moves on Hotel Dumort in attempt to reclaim her standing amongst the vampires. Raphael had raved on for ninety minutes, rapidly jumping between English and Spanish so much so, that their conversation had literally given Magnus whiplash. Magnus couldn’t blame Raphael, though; after all, he knew how vindictive and heartless and _conniving_ Camille Belcourt was first-hand.

By seven-forty-five, he’d gotten a text from his gorgeous beau that Maryse was making him go out on patrol tonight—conveniently scheduled during their date night. Unless there was an emergency, the Lightwood matriarch knew perfectly well that Friday nights were theirs… _surely_ after five months Maryse had gotten over Alec’s choices at his farce of a wedding?

…Cleary not.

He glared into his mimosa bitterly. It had been a week since Alexander and he had said their first ‘I love yous’ to each other—their relationship was starting to become much more serious than Magnus had ever thought it possible with a Shadowhunter.

Oh, his sweet Nephilim, with his adorable grin, his big Bambi-eyes, and his genuinely kind heart that made Magnus want to steal him away, shrink him down to the size of a peanut and carry him around in his pocket…

Too much?

Lord…he hadn’t been so _besotted_ in decades.

Alec had been so shy when they’d fooled around a bit after their date last Friday. But damn, Magnus was never one to turn down the opportunity to ravish an eager Alexander Lightwood.

The young man had such a long and lean body, incredibly fit, befitting of a soldier, hardened by years of training and fighting. He was delectable.

The way he carried himself, though, was always puzzling to Magnus. Normally someone with Alec’s good looks would walk into a room like he owned it, like he _knew_ how stunning he was. Kind of like…the other one. Jack. Jace. Alec’s parabatai. Blondie. _That_ kid knew he was attractive, very self-assured and a little cocky.

…but Alexander always had his arms crossed, standing off to the side, slightly slumped in on himself like he was trying to make himself smaller; like he wasn’t sure who he was yet, or how he quite fit into his own flesh. It saddened Magnus a little to think his boyfriend didn’t have the confidence he should have had.

Then again, in many ways it was refreshing to see someone so humble and modest. He had an honest quality that compelled Magnus, protective and strong and, _by the Angel_ , did he moan so beautifully.

Magnus couldn’t get the memory of those little whimpers and gasps out of his head. Not to mention the pretty cock he finally had the privilege to worship in between those nice, firm thighs.

Magnus always appreciated a nice prick on an even nicer man.

Magnus smiled to himself, momentarily distracted by the mental image of his naked Nephilim to dwell on his predicament. Then he sighed and readjusted his legs, uncrossing his right in order to cross his left because he’d been sitting there brooding for far too long and they were starting to lose proper circulation.

Maryse Lightwood was the _enemy_. Of course Valentine was public enemy number one, but Maryse Lightwood was quickly becoming a close second. In all her ignorance, she consistently shamed her son, making Alec feel like he was not good enough, making him feel like his only duty was to his family and not at all to his heart and own happiness.

Magnus knew family was everything to Alexander, he didn’t dissuade those feelings and he never would. Yet, in all his centuries, Magnus also knew that Alec would eventually burn out if he continued giving pieces of himself to everyone else and not focusing on himself once in a while. Everyone had a breaking point and it would devastate Magnus if Alec reached his because he stretched himself too thin.

While Magnus’s motivations were somewhat selfish, wanting to have his one-on-one time with his boyfriend, he also wanted to take Alec away, away from the chaos and stress, if only for a little while.

If only to see that crooked, bashful little smile of his.

Magnus heaved a great sigh and set down his second mimosa of the morning, deciding stubbornly that Maryse Lightwood was _not_ going to take that away from him. If she wanted to play games and rearrange her son’s schedule so he couldn’t get his _one_ fucking day off, then Magnus would fight fire with fire.

He glanced at the clock on the brick wall once more. Quarter after nine. A sly smirk formed on his lips.

**…**

Alec Lightwood was _not_ in a particularly great mood.

If he was being honest with himself, he would admit that he was acting downright surly. His mother was playing games, interfering with his date night with Magnus.

He loved his mother very much. Sure, she could be frustrating at times, and she was strict and business-like more often than maternal…but she was his mother and he respected her despite her faults.

However…Alec never asked for much.

He never asked for money to buy clothes all the time, like Izzy (and Jace, for that matter…but it hurt too much to think about his parabatai), nor had he ever gotten into mischief quite like Max did. No, Alec didn’t ask for anything but _one_ day—not _even_ a day—a few hours every Friday evening, to spend time with his boyfriend.

He understood the taboo of his relationship with the warlock—a very, _very male_ Downworlder. Shadowhunters were not very open-minded in their views, he’d known that his entire life…but damn, didn’t he deserve to be happy? If anything, having Magnus as his boyfriend had proven incredibly helpful in the fight against Valentine thus far.

 _Not_ that he was using Magnus.

He would never do that.

He…he _loved_ Magnus.

Magnus loved him too. The very thought made him get a dopey smile on his face.

“You’re looking awfully happy this morning, big brother,” came his sister’s voice. She was dressed in a tight (too tight, in his opinion, but he knew better to tell her that), black pants and a red crop top that matched her lipstick. Alec didn’t even know how she walked in those shoes…his little sister was a fierce warrior though. He accepted the cup of coffee she handed him and she dropped down at the computer beside him, sipping her own coffee casually.

“Not at all, actually,” he muttered to her, his frown returning once again. “Mother has me on for patrol tonight.” He didn’t need to elaborate further. Izzy’s dark eyes narrowed as she studied the disappointment he knew was written all over his face.

“You’re kidding me.”

“I wish were,” Alec said wryly.

She bristled and set her cup on the table, ignoring it as some coffee splashed out. “She’s ridiculous!” she said, exhaling angrily through her nose. “Why do you let her do this to you, Alec? Why don’t you stand up to her?”

Alec shrugged, “What good would arguing do? You know Mother.”

“Hey guys,” Clary piped, coming up to the pair of them and paused uncertainly after she noticed the mood. She sat down on the opposite side of Isabelle, looking attentive. Izzy flashed her a quick smile before turning back to Alec.

“I _do_ know Mom,” Izzy told him, her hand coming out to rest on his knee, “and I know how she likes to control everything. They’ve pretty much taken the institute from her and Dad and handed it over to Lydia. She’s pissed at the Clave and she’s blaming you for the tarnished Lightwood reputation when we both know that has nothing to do with us. They’re the ones who were once in the Circle. Mom would do well to remember that.”

“What’s going on?” Clary asked, sounding hesitant for butting in but Alec just shook his head and leaned back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest.

“My mother put me on patrol tonight with you two,” Alec told the girl.

“Oh no! Date night? How’s Magnus taking the news?” she asked, looking honestly bummed out for him.

“Well, he sent me at least a hundred sad-face emoji’s when I told him…so I’m guessing he’s not too pleased,” Alec said. He scratched his smooth jaw tiredly. He knew he was being childish with his sulking. There was no negotiating with his mother though, once she set her mind to something.

“Alec!”

Speaking of…

He startled slightly and sat up straighter as he turned in his swivel-chair to see his mother storming towards them, her heels snapping along the linoleum with steady fortitude. Behind her, his father was following along, looking apprehensive.

Honestly, Alec was surprised the man hadn’t left them all for Idris. He clearly wanted to be anywhere but here with his wife lately.

“Alec, you have a responsibility to your family and this institute!” Maryse began, halting before him and glaring down at him with stern eyes. Alec’s brow furrowed in confusion. Surely she hadn’t overheard his griping to his sister and Clary? No, she hadn’t even been in the room... Around them, a few people began turning curious gazes onto the exchange. “Of _all_ the childish things—”

“Maryse, I don’t think there is a problem with Alec leaving for a few hours,” Lydia interrupted smoothly, striding in with her jaw set as Maryse whipped around to face her.

“This has nothing to do with you, Lydia,” Maryse told her coldly, _“this_ is a family matter.”

“I understand that, Maryse, but Alec is an adult and as acting head of this Institute, I would just like to say that he has my authorization to leave for the day, as long as he returns on time to patrol tonight, as you _scheduled_ ,” Lydia said resolutely.

Alec was baffled by their argument, uncertain what even brought about the conflict to begin with. Why would he need to leave Institute all day?

“Would someone mind telling me what is going on here?” Alec spoked up warily. His mother sent him a dark look and the corners of Lydia’s set mouth twitched as she turned to look at him.

“Magnus Bane is outside the Institute, asking for you,” Lydia told him, blue eyes twinkling.

“Magnus…” he repeated, perplexed.

Izzy took less time to process the information and she jumped up, Clary in tow, and headed towards the entrance of the building.

Alec shook himself out of his stupor and rose to his feet to trail after them, ignoring the whispers around him, the irritation radiating off of his mother, the unease from his father, and the smugness from his former fiancée.

“No way!” Izzy exclaimed excitedly as she opened the large doors. _“Alec,_ get out here!”

Lydia wasn’t lying.

There, propped casually against a brand-new Lamborghini parked in the lawn in front of the Institute, was indeed Alec’s boyfriend. His eyes lit up in delight when Alec came outside. Izzy and Clary passed him and practically ran down the stone steps, towards the warlock.

“Fancy car, Magnus,” Clary told him with a wide grin on her face, “I didn’t know you did Mundane driving.”

“Of course I do, Biscuit,” Magnus said graciously as the girls came closer to inspect the expensive car. “While using a portal is a much more convenient method of traveling, there is nothing quite like driving in a fast car with the top down, wind whipping through your hair. And of course, there’s an added bonus when you have someone lovely to admire at your side…” he added as an afterthought, his eyes dancing back over to a bewildered Alec, who flushed slightly at the acknowledgement.

“It’s incredible,” Izzy breathed, “Can I touch it or is my brother the only one allowed to?” Magnus let out a surprised laugh and she covered her mouth with her hand and corrected herself, “The _car_ , I mean!” Magnus simply nodded his head but Alec’s eye started to twitch and he felt more than a little mortified, because leave it to Isabelle to make innuendos at Alec’s expense.

In front of their _parents_ , no less.

“Magnus, you have not been invited—” Maryse began but the warlock held up two fingers to silence her, much like he did when he crashed Alec’s wedding five months prior.

“I realize this, of course, Maryse,” he said smoothly, “and that is why I’m waiting outside. I figured, since Alexander’s time has been monopolized this evening, there was nothing stopping me from seeing if he could reschedule our dinner-date for brunch, instead.” Alec had to bite his lip to keep from laughing at his boyfriend’s devious antics.

It was an attractive quality of Magnus’s to be so blasé while standing up to Alec’s mother. Or anyone, for that matter. Magnus was so… _confident_. He didn’t…he didn’t give a shit if someone didn’t like him. He didn’t let other people’s opinions discourage him from doing exactly _what_ he wanted, _when_ he wanted. He exuberated control and indifference to the things he found trivial—like Maryse’s obvious disapproval of him.

His mother’s glare was currently burning holes into his back but Alec ignored her entirely. “You went with the blue?” he observed, eyeing the flashy car.

Magnus beamed at him.

“I did. I got the call an hour ago to come pick her up,” he stated mildly, running his hand delicately along the shiny paint-job. “I almost went with purple at first but decided against it because you _do_ look lovely in cobalt, my love,” he told him affectionately. Alec’s heart stuttered in his chest and those two words, _’my love’_ echoed in his head like a mantra.

A warmth spread throughout Alec’s entire body that had nothing to do with the summer morning’s sun.

“Aww,” Izzy simpered, looking positively gleeful, and Alec couldn’t decipher if it was due to Magnus’s sentiment or the fact he was stepping on Maryse’s toes by showing up uninvited. Izzy was linked arm-in-arm with Clary and Lydia (who looked surprised by the gesture, but Alec could also tell she was secretly pleased at being included like a friend) and nodded her head in agreement. “You are so right, Magnus, blue is _definitely_ Alec’s color.”

Alec couldn’t hold back his grin, this time, and his feet moved on their own accord until he reached his boyfriend and Magnus moved immediately to open the passenger side of the Lamborghini; the door opened upward instead of outward and Alec watched intently, fascinated by the spectacular car (the make and model that _he_ helped pick out, he noted with satisfaction). For a split second he couldn’t believe he was this excited to be associated with _anything_ Mundane, but he brushed it off quickly, and slid into the car. Magnus shut the door courteously and slipped around and into the driver’s side with his usual cat-like grace.

He paused for a moment, looking back at the handful of onlookers and, more specifically, at a seething Maryse. “No worries, Maryse,” he called cheerfully to her, “I’ll have Alexander back promptly for his patrol tonight. Oh, and do try not to scowl so much; it’ll give you wrinkles.” He shut his own door, threw the car in reverse, waved merrily to the Shadowhunters outside the Institute, spun the wheel, shifted back into drive, and drove away.

As the abandoned church grew smaller in the review mirror, Magnus finally glanced over to him with a half-smile.

“Too much?” he asked. Alec laughed.

“Probably…Mother is clearly unhappy. I’m sure I’ll get a nice, long lecture about duty and honor later on,” he said honestly. He was so enchanted by this man, so nauseatingly swept off his feet, that Alec couldn’t even bring himself to dwell on the repercussions. His stomach was flipping in a nervous thrill, much like it had after he planted one on Magnus at his wedding to Lydia—who, by the way, he owed a huge ‘thank you’ to, for stepping up in his defense.

Magnus winced apologetically, turning onto the road from the grass. “I apologize, Alexander. I just don’t like Maryse interrupting the one day of the week I get you all to myself. Maybe I’m being too selfish but—oh—seatbelt, darling. Safety first.”

“You’re not,” Alec told him quickly, and he buckled his seatbelt dutifully as Magnus sped around the corner. He was a skilled driver, handling the car with an ease. He also seemed to be a bit of a speed-demon. Well, speed- _half_ -demon... “I’m happy you came. I really wanted to see you, Magnus, I-I missed you.”

He cringed inwardly, wondering if he was coming across as too _needy_ but Magnus practically glowed at his admittance. “I missed you too, love,” he whispered and his hand came out to rest on Alec’s thigh, squeezing reassuringly, his thumb stroking back and forth fondly. “Texting, although it is an incredibly convenient invention, is hardly the same as getting to see you in person. Plus, you _refuse_ to take selfies for me,” he added, pouting slightly.

Alec wrinkled his nose disdainfully. “I just don’t see the point,” he claimed steadfastly, “and I _hate_ having my picture taken. “

“Ah, the _point_ darling, is that I’d get to see your cute face. I’m eight-hundred years old; my memory is fading fast and I’m becoming increasingly forgetful,” Magnus teased. Alec snorted at that, knowing full well by now that Magnus typically exaggerated his age for his own benefit, often embellishing stories in order to impress clients. Even Alec wasn’t sure his boyfriend’s age…which hurt his head if he focused too long on it.

“You’re immortal…you’ll live,” he shot back in amusement, shoving the slight ache he felt in his chest away and burying it under a ton of figurative concrete. It would likely always be the elephant-in-the-room, Alec concluded months ago: mortality versus immortality…but that wasn’t going to stop him from pursuing this relationship with the warlock. He _loved_ Magnus Bane.

“Touché, touché,” Magnus conceded.

“But that doesn’t mean I want you to stop sending me them,” Alec continued hurriedly, not wanting Magnus’s (frequently shirtless) selfies to stop coming to him daily. He wasn’t going to admit that he saved every single one of them and would flip through them when he found himself missing the warlock…which was also daily.

Damn, he was disgustingly smitten.

“No, no, no,” Magnus said, wagging his finger at Alec, his eyes barely leaving the road. “That is a no-go, Alexander. It’s not exactly fair if I show you mine but you don’t show me yours. Quid-pro-quo, darling,” he finished, his white teeth showing as he grinned mischievously. The suggestiveness in his words was more than apparent to Alec, and his face reddened as he pondered them.

They were at a selfie-impasse, it seemed. Sighing somewhat theatrically, Alec caved in. “…I’ll see what I can do,” he offered. He supposed having to take pictures of himself would be worth it to receive them in return…he enjoyed looking at Magnus. His ever-changing hair, make-up, clothing…his naked, defined torso…It made him smile, even amongst all the stress in his life nowadays.

“I definitely look forward to seeing what you can do, Alexander,” Magnus murmured.

Fuck.

 _Smitten_.

He was a little ashamed…but damn, Magnus was quite…magical.

In every sense of the word.

Alec felt his body hum pleasantly, his leg tingling where Magnus was currently touching him. He reached out a hand, tentative at first, but he inhaled deeply, feeling so utterly relaxed and _happy_ , and he placed it on top of Magnus’s ringed one.

“Where are we going?” Alec asked curiously after several minutes of riding in comfortable silence.

“I know a quaint little place not far from here, perfect for brunch. I figured we could grab a bite to eat. The rest is up to you, really. Tell me what you want, where you’d like to go…just think of me as your personal chauffer for the day,” he said lightheartedly.

Alec fiddled with one of the chunky rings on Magnus’s hand, tracing the intricate little details on it. He thought for a moment where he wanted to go and realized…it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter at all.

“I don’t care where we end up, Magnus,” he told him softly, “as long as we go there together.” Magnus’s eyes flickered back to him, and his hand turned in Alec’s lap, so his palm was facing upward, and he gathered Alec’s hand gently, bringing his knuckles up to his lips to brush a kiss there.

 _Butterflies_.

**…**

“Alec—Alexander, darling, you don’t have to—” Magnus breathed out as Alec fumbled with the zipper of his pants.

It was three o’clock in the afternoon now, and Magnus had driven them out of the city per Alec’s suggestion after their brunch. The Shadowhunter had seemed focused on something the entire way, lost in a daydream in the recesses of his mind, and he asked Magnus to drive around until they found somewhere more secluded.

He figured Alexander just wanted to get away from the city for a while, maybe find a peaceful place to talk in the suburbs…Magnus certainly had not anticipated that _this_ was what Alec had in mind.

As soon as Magnus parked the Lamborghini, Alec was on him—kissing him fervently across the console that separated the black leather seats, hands sliding up and down Magnus’s arms as he clutched him (he had long-since discovered that Alec was particularly taken with his arms for some unknown reason), and then his boyfriend’s strong hands slipped carefully onto his thighs, almost caressing the muscles there before narrowing in closer towards his groin, and then _fuck_ —

His angel had grabbed his hardened cock through his pants in a swift, bold move, squeezing it experimentally as a light flush graced his high cheekbones and Magnus nearly lost it completely. He kissed back with enthusiasm, feeling dizzy with desire and his body yearned for Alec, for anything the younger man was willing to give him—and at this point in time it was becoming increasingly apparent that what Alexander wanted was to suck his— _by the Angel._

He was hunched over Magnus’s lap, finally managing to get his pants open without any assistance and then his eyes grew wide in alarm because the High Warlock of Brooklyn had chosen today of all days not to wear underwear; his cock sprung free from its snug confines, very interested in Alec’s attention.

Magnus observed his boyfriend carefully, gaging his reaction with keen eyes (which was starting to prove difficult because his focus was dwindling rapidly away from all thoughts that didn’t involve his erection and Alec’s _mouth_ …).

Alec bit his lip, looking both intrigued and nervous at seeing this particular part of Magnus’s anatomy for the first time, up close and extremely personal. After several beats, his eyes flickered up to meet Magnus’s and he stilled entirely, palms resting on each one of the warlock’s thighs.

“I-I want to…” he started and then he stopped short, seeming lost for words.

Magnus reached up to thread his fingers through his boyfriend’s thick hair and he dragged him in for another kiss, his tongue mingling with Alec’s passionately.

“Oh _fuck!”_

Magnus broke away with a throaty curse, because the Nephilim decided at that very moment to reach down and grasp his now bared arousal in a warm hand. _“Alexander…”_

Of course, he’d partially purchased this car because they jested about wanting to fool around in it like Jack and Rose did in the Titanic, but he didn’t _really_ think it would happen. Hell, there wasn’t even a backseat in this vehicle! Hardly enough room for full-blown hanky-panky. Honestly, he’d just imagined it would be a fun little escapade. But this…oh, _this_ …?

Alec tilted his head and leaned in to whisper into his ear unexpectedly, his solid body a welcome weight as he leaned against Magnus.

“You always ask me to tell you what I want Magnus…” he murmured to him, his deep voice deliberate. “And-and right now, I _really_ want to,” he let out a long breath that tickled Magnus’s ear and sent a shiver throughout him, “I really want to blow you.”

 _Oh for the love of_ —

Magnus moaned again, his entire _being_ was so unbelievably turned-on and he couldn’t even begin to fathom how this Shadowhunter could effortlessly reduce him to a quivering pile of _goo_ ; to a horny _teenager_ , with a one _sentence_. It was truly mind-boggling.

Alec’s head bent to rest against itself against Magnus’s shoulder and they sat there cuddled like that for a good thirty seconds before Magnus realized that Alec wasn’t just snuggling him: he was _waiting_ for permission. It struck a chord of amusement within him, because it wasn’t as if Magnus would _ever_ object in a million fucking years to a blow job from his boyfriend.

Then it occurred to him: Alec was waiting for permission because _Magnus_ always asked for his permission before touching him, before trying anything new. While Magnus wasn’t even remotely new to this, Alec reciprocating the gesture was really…sweet. It was so rare to find such a gentleman, in this day and age.

The warlock smiled to himself and turned his face to nuzzle Alexander’s, loving the warmth of the man’s cheek against his own.

How he loved him...

“If you’re certain you want to, Alec,” he told him, his body nearly boiling with anticipation; “then by all means, I’m not about to stop you, my love.” Alec nodded his head, and after placing a couple open-mouthed kisses to Magnus's throat, he pulled away.

“I’m sorry if I’m not any good,” he muttered quietly, and then he shifted in his seat and his back bowed as he knelt over Magnus’s lap. The angle probably wasn’t the most comfortable for something like this; the limited space in the sports car was hardly the most ideal, but Alec took him in hand again anyway, and Magnus watched through lidded eyes as a pink tongue darted out to lick the clear pre-ejaculate from the head of his cock, tasting him for the very first time.

Magnus didn’t even try to hold back the keening sound that emitted deep from within his throat. He reclined his body back a little to give Alec more room to move and well, giving himself a better view of that mouth on him.

The younger man worked his way across the crown of Magnus’s cock with an agile tongue, and then that wicked appendage ran down along his shaft experimentally, tasting and feeling him with his previously _virginal_ mouth.

Alec withdrew from him abruptly, taking a quick breather and maybe working up the courage to continue, Magnus wasn’t sure. He wet his lips and then dived back down for more and suddenly, Magnus was engulfed completely in a hot, wet mouth.

 _“Fuck,”_ he whispered blissfully, “fuck, Alexander, _yes_ …” he prattled on and Alec seemed to be encouraged by his expletives because he became less hesitant and more enthusiastic. His head bobbed up and down eagerly and Magnus swore again, his hips jerking up involuntarily. Alec choked and pulled off of him, rubbing his throat with wide eyes and Magnus winced and pet his hair ruefully. “Damn it, I’m sorry, are you okay?” he rushed.

“Yeah, sorry,” he responded hoarsely, “I’m not very good at this, am I?” Alec sounded dejected. Cursing himself to the depths of Hell in which his father lived, Magnus shook his head in disagreement to Alec’s assumption.

“Oh _no_ , my Angel, trust me: you’re doing so well, I’m sorry. It felt so good, darling, I promise,” he reassured him seriously. He couldn't deny that it wasn’t the most skilled head he’d ever received. Alec may have lacked the usual finesse that came with practice, but it was _Alec_ , his Alexander, whom Magnus had come to adore…and that was why it was so spectacular. _That_ was why he was mere minutes away from orgasm. “I’m sorry if I hurt you. You don’t have to continue, Alec.”

Alec smiled at him, somewhat shyly, and then shook his head. “No,” he cleared his throat again, “No, I-I want to keep going.” And then he licked his lips again and descended back down slickly, taking Magnus into his mouth and Magnus groaned in appreciation.

“You’re going to _ruin_ me Alexander Lightwood,” he praised him, the fingers on his right hand raking along Alec’s curved back, slipping under his shirt to feel the skin there. Alec shuddered a little at the light touch and pulled off for a second to glance at Magnus with a breathless laugh.

“That’s what I’m going for.” He pressed a swift kiss to the tip with a salacious glint in his eye. With one hand, Alec held him by the base of his erection, using it to stroke in unison what he couldn’t fit in his mouth without gagging. It was all Magnus could do not to buck up wildly into that willing mouth.

_“Fuck…”_

It took maybe another minute before that familiar heat pooled into his groin, twisting and coiling in a hurricane of fierce pleasure, and he reached down to tug at Alec’s black hair urgently. “Sweetheart, I’m going to come— _Alexander_! You’ve got to—shit, shit, _oh fuck,”_ his voice broke off into a rough cry as Alec refused to cease his administrations, and Magnus came hard, his body shuddering and jerking into the hand and mouth that currently enveloped his cock and his fingers tightened their hold on Alec’s head.

Gasping for air, Alec finally extricated himself turned his head to his side, coughing a little. Magnus returned back to earth from his temporary high and stared at his boyfriend in wonder because— _did Alec actually just swallow his come?_

God _...he did_.

Magnus let out a long shaky breath, his body thoroughly satiated. He had to hand it to Alec; the first time Magnus ever performed fellatio on someone (many, many years ago), he’d spat out the man’s ejaculation, put-off by the bitter taste. Of course _now_ Magnus didn’t mind, having had years to become accustomed to it and even enjoying it depending on the person. Alec Lightwood was fast becoming his favorite flavor these days. 

He smiled happily at his boyfriend as Alec straightened up and slumped back into his own seat, rubbing his jaw with a sheepish grin on his handsome face.

Magnus reached out again, this time cupping his chin and massaging a thumb into the hinge of his jaw, knowing the ache he was likely feeling after such a performance. He released a gentle flow of magic from his hand then, helping to soothe the cramp for him, watching as the blue light of his power reflected in Alec’s hazel eyes. He leaned forward to kiss him, tasting himself on supple lips that were reddened from use.

“That was harder—you-you made it look so _easy_ —” he huffed as he broke off, struggling with what exactly it was that he wanted to say and he searched Magnus’s face like he was looking for a sign of approval. “Was that okay?” Alec settled on eventually, sounding somewhat winded, still.

“Oh Alexander, you were _exquisite_ ,” He responded truthfully as he zipped himself back into his pants and then Magnus’s grin broadened roguishly; this time, he was the one who leaned across the division of their seats. Pushing his boyfriend back by his shoulders, the Downworlder nipped and sucked at that slender throat playfully, albeit possessively, marking him up with love-bites. “…Please allow me to return the favor, my naughty little Nephilim,” he panted huskily against Alec’s mouth.

At this rate, Magnus realized smugly, they would definitely have to portal back to the Institute if Alec was going to make it to his patrol duties on time. He would have to retrieve the Lamborghini and drive it back to the city on his own, later on.

However, after hearing his boyfriend produce the most delicious moan from lush, parted lips, Magnus Bane found himself wholly incapable of giving a shit about that. All that mattered to him at this very moment, was watching his lovely Shadowhunter boyfriend come undone by Magnus's capable hands.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate writing fellatio. Usually I tend to keep those scenes brief, because it's kind of...repetitive, and it honestly bores me writing it by itself. But, it was Alec's first time doing that and this is him discovering his sexuality and desires so I figured it deserved some attention.
> 
> xx  
> CJ


	5. Karma's a Bitch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Use of a homophobic slur this chapter may be triggering to some people.

If someone had told Alec six months ago that he would be in a _mall_ , of all places, with his little sister, a redhead he barely tolerated, and his warlock boyfriend, he probably would’ve taken them down with an arrow to the eyeball.

Yet, here he was…walking through a seemingly endless shopping center that was filled to the brim with Mundanes, scurrying around like life-sized ants, and he wasn’t even using his invisibility rune. He was completely visible.

He was entirely _uncomfortable_.

Izzy, and even Clary, were having the time of their lives, darting in and out of stores (who needed so _many_ different stores to buy essentially the same articles of _clothing?_ ) …it seemed so nonsensical and Alec had to exert and inane amount of energy into not rolling his eyes or making derisive comments under his breath.

Then there was Magnus, charming Magnus, who escorted the ladies around, acting like their personal fashion consultant, swiping his platinum credit card left and right without hesitation. He didn’t seem annoyed that Izzy had to try on _four_ of the same exact dress in different _colors_. He wasn’t annoyed when they’d spend nearly a half hour in the shoe section of some fancy boutique because the girls couldn’t decide if they wanted a certain shoe in cream or beige, so they left completely empty handed.

No, Magnus took it all in stride.

He was…he was _enjoying_ himself, nodding along or shaking his head or offering some of his worldly-fashion advice. Magnus was also spending a small fortune and wasn’t even phased because after hundreds of years, he clearly had accumulated an impressive savings’ account…even after buying his Lamborghini several weeks ago.

“—lexander?”

Alec blinked his large hazel eyes. “Huh?” Magnus had sidled up to him, placing a careful hand on his upper arm, trying to reign in Alec’s wayward thoughts and turn his focus onto him.

“I asked if you were hungry, darling. We figured we should stop for a bite to eat. It’s dinnertime,” Magnus told him, his eyes warm and understanding. “…Alec, if you want, I can portal us back to my place? You look like the Chairman when I stepped on his tail last Tuesday.”

Alec gnawed his lower lip, feeling guilty.

Had he really been that obvious? His eyes flickered over to the obvious disappointment on his sister’s face and then at Magnus’s expectant one. He shook his head.

“No. No, I’m fine. We can stay a while longer. I could eat, though,” he assured them and then Magnus beamed and Izzy lit up and it was worth it.

Fifteen minutes later, Alec plopped his food down on their selected table and sank down next to his boyfriend, who’d opted for the sushi bar instead of the burger and fries Alec went for.

“Clary, we’ve got to find you shoes that go with that ivory top,” Izzy said matter-of-factly and then they prattled on about shoes whilst they ate and Alec contemplated drowning himself in ketchup.

Suddenly a warm hand found his on the table, and grasped it. Alec jumped slightly and then stared at their joined hands, one plain and one painted, the latter with sleek black polish and adorned by several rings.

Alec’s heart slammed to a standstill in his ribcage.

Magnus was…Magnus was holding his hand… _in public._ He was saying something to Clary, but he was holding Alec’s hand. They’d never done this before. Even on their dates, Magnus would never touch him quite like this, because he could sense Alec’s unease in the beginning, but now they’d gotten more familiar with their relationship. They were committed, and this was…a simple but intimate gesture that stated so.

Magnus didn’t seem phased by the PDA whatsoever. He was entirely nonchalant about it, but Alec, Alec’s _whole_ world narrowed down onto their clasped hands, to the glint of light off of the warlock’s rings, the contrast of their skin tones, to the heat that always seemed to radiate from the other man.

“Fuckin’ _fags_ …”

Alec jumped and instinctively jerked his hand away from underneath his boyfriend’s. Magnus let him, his face carefully expressionless. A guy had walked by them carrying a tray of food, probably around Alec’s age, wearing his pants too low and his hat on backwards. Magnus calmly took a sip of his beverage with his left hand and snapped his fingers on the right.

As soon as the tiny blue sparks emitted from the warlock’s fingers, Alec watched in wonderment as the youth tripped over an invisible force and he crashed to the floor, upturning a couple of chairs as he went. His soda and food had soared up in the air and landed on top of him, drenching him from head-to-toe.

Magnus didn’t so much as turn to observe his handy-work. Instead, his eyes flickered over to meet Alec’s, trying to gage his feelings. There was a glimmer of hesitation in those dark eyes.

Alec didn’t say anything. He didn’t know the right words to say.

_Thank you._

_I love you._

_Will it always be like this?_

_I don’t care what other people say._

_…_ He didn’t say any of those things, though. None of them would be enough to convey to his boyfriend how he felt. He had always been ashamed to be gay. As a Shadowhunter, it wasn’t the norm, so he kept that part of himself locked away tightly for years.

However, looking at his warlock right now, from his black, glittered eyeshadow and liner around his eyes, to his bronzed complexion, to his form-fitting clothing that moved as he walked with his usual grace, up to the very tips of his spikey hair…Alec thought Magnus looked amazing today.

He looked amazing _every day._

And Alec…Alec refused to be ashamed to have the man he _loved_ hold his hand in the middle of some stupid mall. The mall, and the Mundanes within it, were obsolete.

Magnus Bane transcended all of them, in all his unashamed, glittery, bisexual-and-proud, glory.

Alec reached back to clasp the older man’s hand once more, and then he leaned in and smooched him right on the mouth, chastely, but _blatantly_.

He didn’t care who saw.

Magnus’s dazzling smile was worth everything.

**…**

“What you did in the food court was fantastic, Magnus,” Izzy told the man with a huge grin on her face. They’d left the mall after a couple more hours of shopping and returned to Magnus’ posh apartment with several dozen bags heavy in their hands.

“I‘ve never been one to tolerate the use of slurs being thrown around. And, well, karma’s a bitch but its nothing compared to the High Warlock of Brooklyn, my dear Isabelle,” Magnus stated without missing a beat.

Alec’s mouth quirked in a slight smile from where he was perched on the stool at the kitchen counter and Magnus scooted over to him, cocktail in hand, wrapped his free arm around his shoulders and pressed a kiss to his forehead. Alec’s insides fluttered contently as he allowed himself to be held.

 “You two are adorable together,” Clary informed them both and Alec immediately bristled because he was a _grown_ man and therefore, could not be ‘adorable’ by any means but when he opened his mouth to say so, Magnus gave him a light pinch to his side.

“Of _course_ we are, biscuit. Have you and Izzy decided on a movie, yet?”

“I want this one!” Izzy called from her spot on the couch. She was sitting with her legs crossed and was flipping through the TV guide in search for a rental.

Magnus left Alec’s side to peer at the title and winced. “Are you sure about that one?” Clary peeked over Magnus’s broad shoulder.

“I’ve heard…things…about that movie,” Clary said vaguely, her eyes a little dubious.

“It’s supposed to be very sexy,” Izzy said. Alec felt the dread creep up his spine. Whatever his sister had selected was not sounding promising.

Magnus shook his head uncertainly but nonetheless accepted her choice, waving his hand flippantly at her before taking a big gulp of his drink.

“Go ahead and order it, then. I’ll make popcorn. Can I get you a cocktail, Alexander?” Magnus asked.

“Be honest,” Alec whispered to his boyfriend as he came nearer once more, “In an hour am I going to wish I had one?” Magnus nodded solemnly.

“Most definitely.”

“I’ll take two.”

Magnus chuckled.

**…**

“Your thoughts are _terribly_ loud, sweetheart,” Magnus said randomly from where he lay beside Alec in the plush bed. Alec was on his side facing away from his boyfriend with wide and unblinking eyes. He felt Magnus shimmy over until his firm body was spooned up against Alec’s back and threw his arm over his waist.

They were both in boxer-briefs and a tank top, Alec in all black, Magnus in dark red, and Alec could feel the solid bare thighs pressed against the back of his own and the heat that came from them.

“Do you want to talk about it, Alexander?” Magnus asked him quietly. His tone was even, neither dismissive nor pushy, because that’s how the man was with him. Oh, of course he would try to encourage Alec to open up, not wanting him to withdraw into himself like he tended to do, but he always remained kind and understanding and incredibly patient. Alec’s heart skipped a beat as Magnus’s breath tickled his ear and his voice caused his chest to reverberate against the Shadowhunter’s back.

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Alec told him impassively, but he could feel his cheeks redden.

“Alec, you had your face hidden the majority of the time like you were watching a horror film,” Magnus said casually, his thumb stroking tenderly along Alec’s hip in slow, tantalizing circles.

“Well it was—it was graphic!” Alec mumbled.

“What was it that bothered you? The sex itself or the nature of it,” Magnus asked curiously. Alec groaned.

“Magnus…”

“All right, I’ll shut up. Sorry, my love.” Magnus conceded, but the disappointment wasn’t as hidden as he probably hoped it was.

Silence.

“It was both, okay?” Alec huffed out. He felt Magnus shift against him, pecking the deflect rune on his neck. Then, “Do you like…doing _that?”_ he questioned in a strained voice.

“Having sex with a woman or the BDSM?” Magnus said bluntly, causing Alec squeak slightly.

“The-the—I know you like to, with women. I mean, you’re—”

“Bisexual?”

“Yeah…but the…”

“Okay, okay. Breathe darling.” Magnus said sighing. “No, I am not really into BDSM, at least...not like that contractual business. While I am a generally open-minded man, I’m not _quite_ so hardcore. A little playing around, however...” he trailed off, clearly not daring to elaborate further. Alec's mind shot off in a hundred different directions, as it were.

Alec let out a long breath.

“It all seemed so…complicated,” he said after a moment.

“It doesn’t need to be complicated, Alec.” Magnus nuzzled the back of his neck. “Sometimes simple is better.”

More silence.

“Magnus?”

“Hmm?”

“Does it—does it hurt?” His voice sounded rough, even to his own ears. He cleared his throat self-consciously.

“I’m pretty sure that’s the general appeal for some people.”

Alec flinched. “No—no that’s not what I meant.” He sighed, uneasy and embarrassed.

Magnus stilled for a moment.

“You mean does _sex_ hurt?”

“…”

Magnus resumed his caressing, this time he let his fingers trail up and down Alec’s naked arm, tickling him in a soothing manner.

“Bottoming during sex can, if you’re not careful. Especially if you’re new to it or not properly prepared.”

Alec mouth had gone dry so he licked his lips quickly. “And you’ve…?”

“Yes.”

“So it hurt?”

“A little discomfort, at first. Then I got used to it, and found it to be enjoyable.”

“Do you…have a preference?”

Magnus kissed behind his ear gently.

"Of being on top or bottom?"

Alec choked on air.

"Yeah."

“I'm rather versatile. But, yes, I do.”

“Which is?” His heart was racing and he wondered if Magnus could feel the pulse in his throat hammering away beneath the touch of his lips.

“Alexander…I am willing to do whatever you want, whenever you want. _If_ you ever want to, with me,” Magnus settled on eventually.

Alec smiled even though Magnus couldn’t see it. “That’s pretty evasive of you, Magnus,” he decided.

“I don’t want to put expectations in your head. If the time comes and—”

“When,” Alec interjected firmly. “ _When_ , Magnus, not ‘if’.” Magnus’s breathing faltered against his ear. He heard the older man swallow hard.

 _“When_ the time comes, darling, I want you to decide what _you_ want. Okay?” Alec nodded. He was rather sweaty, mostly from nerves and slightly from arousal but he wasn’t hard. No, he was more than content to lay nestled in his warlock’s comforting embrace.

“Okay…Hey, Magnus?”

“Hmm?” came his boyfriend’s sleepy reply.

“I love you.”

“I love you too, my Alexander.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case some of you weren't sure, Izzy picked out 50 Shades of Grey for their movie night. Poor, horrified Alec.


	6. By the Angel...

* * *

 Alec moaned into the kiss, lost in the inferno created by Magnus’s body pressed tightly against his. Magnus pulled away finally, his breathing coming out in harsh puffs against Alec’s throat as he shifted his weight so he was knelt by Alec’s side and his hands came down to tug at the waistband of his briefs questioningly.

“May I take these off, darling?” Magnus’s voice was rough, laden with lust and Alec’s own breathing hitched. Magnus had seen him in his underwear before. Magnus had seen... _him_ before, but those times Magnus would simply shift pieces of clothing out of the way. He’d never been completely… _naked_ before.

If he consented, then Magnus would have him bared and that was a vulnerability in and of itself. It was overwhelming.

It was new.

It was… _exciting_.

He swallowed thickly and nodded his head, eyes meeting his boyfriend’s and Magnus surveyed him carefully, never turning away as his painted fingers hooked in the elastic and pulled the black article of clothing downwards, revealing the entirety of Alec, inch-by-inch.

In an effort to assist the other man in his endeavor, Alec planted his feet into the mattress and raised his hips off the bed. Magnus freed him, tugging the underwear down his legs and tossing them to the side and then Alec was naked and aroused, on the bed belonging to the High Warlock of Brooklyn.

Magnus’s dark eyes raked down his body and Alec felt himself flush a little at being studied but then Magnus crawled back up so he was in between Alec’s legs and they were chest-to-chest once more.  Magnus ringed hand gripped his chin and kissed him fervently.

Alec scowled into their kiss and made to sit up, which proved hard to do with Magnus weighing him down.

“What ever happened to ‘quid-pro-quo’?” he asked against Magnus’s lips. Magnus chuckled lowly and his hand moved in a quick flourish and the emerald-colored underwear vanished from that sculpted body, making Alec’s mouth water and dick jump in interest.

Magnus Bane was _naked_ , on top of an equally naked Alec. His skin was soft from his twice-a-day intensive moisturizing routine, and young, despite his hundreds of years, and _solid_ , because the man was so damn fit and _damn it_ , Alec needed to calm down because he was already leaking now.

Magnus slid their slightly sweaty bodies against each other and Alec buried his face in his boyfriend’s neck in an effort to muffle the pathetic whine that escaped his mouth.

Magnus had his arms bracketing either side of Alec’s head, holding himself up for leverage as he grinded his hips down, just like he would when they were still partially clothed but this was so much—so much _better_.

Alec could feel everything. His hips bucked up against Magnus’s urgently and the warlock rewarded him with a love-bite to the rune on his neck before pulling away and Alec grunted unhappily.

“Hmm…” Magnus hummed out, crawling backwards, his broad shoulders flexing enticingly as he moved, and Alec wanted to reach down to yank his boyfriend back on top of him but then Magnus settled himself between his legs and splayed his hands on the apex of Alec’s thighs. He leaned down to nuzzle against the Shadowhunter’s groin, mouthing the skin there sensually, and suddenly, Alec didn’t care that Magnus wasn’t kissing his mouth anymore.

Alec looked down at him, his hazel eyes hooded as he took in the sight of his boyfriend and then he moaned loudly and his head fell back onto the pillow because Magnus finally put his mouth to work, licking along his shaft with an amazingly _talented_ tongue, deep-throating him expertly and Alec was once again blown away by Magnus’s skill. It didn’t seem fair for Magnus to be so good at, well, pretty much everything he did…but he was, and Alec loved every minute of it.

He expected he wouldn’t last long at his point, with Magnus sucking his cock so ardently.

_By the Angel—_

Well, he definitely did _not_ expect that.

“Alec?” Magnus had pulled away, his lips red and shiny, to look at Alec with an inquisitive expression on his face. Alec knew what he was asking. He knew, because Magnus fingers were…

Magnus’s fingers had danced past his balls, along the skin behind them and then halted there, lightly pressing, _asking_.

Alec’s mouth had gone as dry as a desert, and his tongue darted out to moisten his lips.

“Y-yeah. Okay,” he whispered out, his voice raspy and gruff and Magnus’s fingers went down just a little closer but not _quite_ to his goal.

“Alec,” he repeated, and Alec could hear the other man’s hesitance in his usually melodic voice. He sounded…nervous. It was always surreal to witness Magnus being anything other than his usual, confident self. “Look at me, please?”

Alec didn’t even realize he had been staring wide-eyed at the ceiling, but now he felt like he couldn’t tear his gaze away from the ivory paint above him and the bronze, ornate light fixture that was on its dimmest setting, hung above the massive bed. His head felt too heavy, but he obeyed, lifting it with great effort to look at his boyfriend.

Magnus was upright on his knees, placed strategically between Alec’s long legs; one hand was still resting on his thigh, but his right arm was outstretched, his hand right… _there_.

Magnus cleared his throat. “Alec, have you ever…?” he tapped his finger against his perineum, even closer now. Alec’s heart threatened to explode out of his ribcage and he could feel his… _oh by the angel_ , he could feel himself twitch, right _there_ , where Magnus fingers pressed, in anticipation. He was mortified because he wanted it, and excited because he _really_ wanted it, and terrified because he wasn’t sure if he was _still_ going to want it when he finally got it…

His mouth couldn’t seem to form words anymore, so he shook his head back and forth because no, no he had never touched himself there—did people do that? That was stupid. Of course some people did. But…was he supposed to do that to _himself?_ Was he weird for not experimenting this on his own?

“You’ve never fingered yourself,” Magnus reiterated, his voice calm and—how the hell was he so calm saying such…things? He shook his head again. Magnus regarded him silently for a moment and Alec felt like he was under a microscope. His chest was heaving from arousal—Magnus pulled away.

He sat up so rapidly that Magnus was actually taken by surprise, and Alec seized the arm that had been placed so provocatively a couple seconds prior to prevent him from moving further. Magnus’s eyes widened, looking between the hand on his arms and Alec’s face.

“I-I want…” Alec began, slightly winded. Magnus’s eyebrows rose slightly.

“You want?”

“I want you to…” his tongue was entirely too big in his mouth right now.

“You want me to…?” Magnus prompted, his head cocked to the side.

 _“Magnus.”_ Alec groaned, frustrated.

 _“Alexander.”_ He was teasing now. Alec huffed and squeezed his boyfriend’s arm and scowled because damn Magnus Bane for—

_Oh God…_

The hand was back, in between Alec’s thighs, the pad of one finger now pressing directly _right there._ In a place he’d never been touched by _anyone_ before and he forgot how to breathe altogether. Magnus didn’t push in, just rubbed along the puckered skin there with a gentle pressure and Alec inhaled shakily.

It was…interesting.

Kind of good.

Oddly _stimulating_.

The Shadowhunter was still sitting up, his knees bent and opened wide on either side of his boyfriend’s body, and he let go of Magnus’s arm so he could prop himself back on his hands, almost reclined nonchalantly, like it was a typical thing, having a warlock massage his…

“Do you want me to finger you, Alec?” Magnus asked, his voice deep and husky and Alec’s erection twitched at the tone.

He bit his lip hard and tilted his lower half up the slightest bit into Magnus’s touch.

“Y-yeah,” he managed, his own voice equally as hoarse.

Magnus made a strangled sound and his eyes fluttered closed for a minute, like he was trying to calm himself down and Alec felt a wave of confidence roll throughout him, because Magnus was clearly trying to reel his own excitement in. _Excitement_ over touching _Alec._ It was…it was rather empowering. Alec’s hips bucked again into those nimble fingers with a growing smile.

“Yeah, Magnus, I want you to finger me…please?” Magnus’s let out another stifled groan and swore under his breath, shaking his head as he opened his eyes to meet Alec’s once more.

“Well…” Magnus cleared his throat, “Since you’ve asked so nicely, darling.” His free arm shot out to the side, blue swirls of magic seeping from his hand and then a small magenta tube appeared from nowhere in his palm. He set it on the bed and it rolled into the dip created by their bodies and stopped when it reached the side of Alec’s foot.

Magnus finally pulled his other hand away from Alec and simultaneously wiggled all of the fingers on both hands, producing another wave of blue magic again as the man’s rings vanished from them, probably ending up tucked safely away in their appropriate jewelry boxes but Alec didn’t dwell on their destination because Magnus’s rings were gone—not because he was going to sleep or taking a shower, but because he was planning on _using them._

Magnus retrieved the vial again and popped the cap, and he advised Alec to lay back onto the pillows. The warlock poured some of the clear liquid on the fingertips of both hands and coated them liberally before bringing them back to Alec, sliding the middle finger of his right along the crevice of his ass, while his left grasped at Alec’s leaking cock and stroked it a few times in encouragement.

He rubbed the furrowed opening, working the lube into the skin there and then he looked into Alec’s eyes, licked his lips, and slid one finger into Alec, to the first knuckle. Alec felt his body stiffen at the intrusion, the muscles instinctively attempting to expel the digit from him. Magnus pulled it back out and massaged the outer rim again, trying to reduce some of the tension before slipping back inside and stopping midway.

“Breathe, love,” Magnus soothed, “Deep breath in, okay? It'll help let me in.” Alec nodded his head and his brow furrowed in concentration but he did as he was told and the channel of his rectum relaxed enough to allow Magnus’s finger to sink deeper inside him until he was all the way in.

"How do you feel?"

"Like you just shoved a finger up my ass," Alec muttered, eliciting a small burst of laughter from Magnus.

"I suppose that's fair. Maybe not too much appeal, yet?"

Alec shrugged.

It was…strange…Alec decided, having something there and he focused on his breathing and felt Magnus withdraw again, halfway out, and then his finger curled up towards the front of his body and Alec gasped aloud. Magnus grinned at him knowingly.

“Does that help with the appeal?”

 _“By the Angel…”_ Alec gulped out as Magnus tapped his finger against it lightly. “What are you—how are you doing that?” He felt dizzy with a new pleasure, a fog rolling inside his head and he new he could easily get lost in that sensation.

Magnus had released his erection and Alec was thankful; if he’d stroked him while doing _this_ to him, he knew he’d not last and _fuck_ , he wanted more.

It felt strange.

It felt good.

Strangely good.

Alec didn’t know what to do with himself so he clenched his eyes tightly and gave way to the pleasure and then he nearly whined when Magnus pulled the digit completely out of his body.

 _“That_ , Alexander,” the warlock said casually as he poured a bit more lube on his hand, “is your prostrate. The male G-spot—or _P_ -spot, would be more accurate.” He paused. “…Do you want two?”

Alec raised his head, looking around wildly. “Do I want to, what?”

Magnus chuckled and pressed a kiss to his bent knee.

“Two _fingers_ , love.”

Alec flopped back onto the pillows. _“Oh._ Fuck—Yeah. Do it.”

“Hmm, bossy little Nephilim aren’t you?” Magnus observed with a chuckle and Alec scoffed but smiled anyway. He wondered if it was normal to be so casual about this; he wondered if it was unusual for them to be joking with one another at a time like this, because shouldn’t intimate moments be intense and passionate and relatively…silent? Like the romantic love-scenes in the ridiculous films they watched together sometimes.

But Magnus was totally at ease, keeping things basic and simple for Alec’s sake, asking for permission instead of just assuming Alec wanted more and diving right in.

It was…uncomplicated.

It was what Alec needed. No pressure to continue, no expectations. It was Magnus showing him something new, helping him test the waters of his sexuality and it was all kind of wonderful.

 _Magnus_ was wonderful.

After a moment, Magnus pressed in again, one finger like before, and then he wriggled it around a little before working in a second—

 _Oh_.

Okay.

That stung a bit.

He grimaced, his hips jerking away reflexively to avoid the discomfort.

Magnus stilled.

“Stop?”

Alec swallowed and shook his head against the fluffy pillow.

“No. Don’t stop. I’m fine,” Alec panted out and he pushed again against the invasion, because he wasn’t going to quit.

He was a Shadowhunter, after all.

He fought demons on a weekly basis. He had been beaten and bleeding, he’d been cut and bruised up; there was no way in hell a couple _fingers_ up his ass was enough to make him shy away from a little pain. It was perhaps, the most bizarre thought Alec ever had in his life.

Was he really comparing hunting demons to getting fingered by his warlock boyfriend?

Magnus slid into him, the two fingers combined stretching him wider, but then it was the same as before: that pushing in and pulling back, flicking up to rub at his prostate, then in again and _again_ , until the intrusion didn’t burn and his body didn’t protest and he— _damn_ , he actually liked it.

Because it felt good.

Great even.

The fullness was growing increasingly pleasurable, the stimulation against that little spot inside him made his erection strain eagerly against his stomach and he knew he was making little grunting sounds and heaven-forbid, he was pretty sure that was him _whimpering_ as well, but he didn’t linger on those things for long because he was rapidly becoming all too invested on the heat consuming him.

Magnus was lying next to him now, propped up on his side, on his forearm, with his head bent and nipping and sucking at Alec’s throat, littering it with bruises that would undoubtedly show up in the morning. His fingers kept thrusting into Alec, who had somehow ended on his own side facing the warlock, with his left leg bent. Alec’s hand had slipped behind his sweat-dampened knee to bring it closer to his chest, giving Magnus an open access to his body, so the man could move his hand without difficulty.

The third finger was even more overwhelming than the second, and the burning and discomfort returned with it but it dissipated quickly enough, because that full feeling increased and the pressure on his prostate increased and Alec cried out loudly into their fervent lip-lock because he was going to _explode_.

No, he was going to _die_ from being vigorously fingered by his boyfriend, because it was almost _too_ much and too _fucking_ _good…_

“ _Fuck me, fuck me, fuck me,_ ” Alec begged against Magnus’s mouth. His brain was melting from the intensity, he felt delirious and blissed out and he’d never done drugs before but this _had_ to be similar to being high. The words tumbled out of him on their own accord, and Magnus _growled_ , his eyes locked onto Alec’s and then they flashed an inhuman _gold-green_ ; his black pupils narrowed into slits, like a feline _._

It was a spectacularly _astounding_ sight and it pushed Alec right over the edge. Alec gasped out, a dry sob wracked his entire being and the Shadowhunter came harder than he ever thought was possible; his body was seizing up and compressing down onto the fingers within him, shuddering and trembling as he coated his and Magnus’s stomachs with white ropes of come.

Alec came down from his post-orgasmic euphoria and looked deep into his lover’s eyes, and he realized that this was Magnus’s true appearance—a second warlock mark, just like his lack of a belly-button. Magnus had gone rigid, clearly having just noticed that he mistakenly let his glamour down and he was…

He was obviously waiting for Alec to freak out.

He raised an unsteady hand to Magnus’s face and kissed him hard on the lips, a little on the sloppy side.

“You’re so perfect, Magnus Bane,” he whispered firmly. He traced the warlock’s lower lip thoughtfully, utterly captivated by those eyes. Magnus gave him a somewhat timid grin.

“You’re just too sexed-up to think straight, Angel,” the older man told him with a strained chuckle.

“I just had the best orgasm of my life with another man. With _you_. After that, I think it’s safe to say I am definitely _not_ straight,” Alec said wryly and then he winced as Magnus pulled his fingers out of his body, leaving him wrung out and oddly empty, and then he proceeded to snicker when the warlock swatted the cheek of his ass in a teasing reprimand.

“Naughty, naughty Nephilim,” he scolded, spanking him good-naturedly. Alec batted his hand away with a snort.

“What is this? Fifty Shades of Gay _?”_ he asked. It was a bad joke, he knew it, but Magnus still laughed at it before pinning Alec with a sly smirk.

“How about you put that wicked mouth of yours to good use, Lightwood?” he suggested smoothly, his cat eyes glittering and Alec was completely enchanted by them.

By _Magnus_.

Alec grinned broadly at him and flipped Magnus onto his back, making him gasp a little. He slid down the front of his boyfriend’s body, his tongue tracing the creases of those bronzed abs along the way, and set out to do just that.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did anyone REALLY need 3,000 words worth of smut today?  
> ...sorry 'bout that.  
> *Cough*


	7. Breakfast Fails and Skimpy Underwear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the lovely comments!!! Y'all are awesome. :)

* * *

 

The first thing Magnus realized when he woke up from a restful slumber was that he was alone. _Completely_ and _utterly_ alone, which  was a rather puzzling discovery, since Magnus was pretty damn sure he had had an attractive and sated little Nephilim in his bed when he’d fallen asleep the night before.

Oh no, no, no, _no_.

This was completely and utterly _unacceptable._

Magnus yawned and slowly sat up. He stretched his tired shoulders and glanced around his empty bedroom for a minute. The blurriness of his sleepy vision was starting to clear enough so the warlock climbed out of his bed, feeling wholly dissatisfied that he was missing a certain Shadowhunter. It ebbed, though, when Magnus’s eyes landed on a familiar leather jacket, tattered jeans (his fingers twitched, itching to burn them and replace them with something newer and _much_ tighter), a plain black shirt, fingerless gloves, socks, worn boots, and…

…was that Alec’s underwear over there by the bedpost?

Magnus grinned mischievously and practically skipped (gracefully, of course) over to his _ensuite_ bathroom and pressed his ear against the door to listen for the sound of running water, a clear indication that Magnus Bane’s lover was nice and _wet_.

Silence.

He frowned deeply, wrinkles be damned, and his fist came up to knock on the bathroom door.

_BANG_

_“Damn it!”_

Magnus jumped at the sound and spun around, his hands instinctively igniting in a blue flood of defensive magic. He held it at bay as soon as it occurred to him that the source of the noise was, in fact, his boyfriend and not an uninvited guest, like Raphael and that excessively-chatty kid… Solomon? Samson. That was it. He was _almost_ positive.

Magnus snapped his fingers once and his discarded underwear appeared back onto his body. He walked across the room to the closed bedroom door and then paused once more because…because all of Alexander’s clothing was on the floor, which indubitably meant…

…somewhere within his lair, he had a very _naked_ Nephilim. Magnus felt himself stir with interest at the enticing thought, and images from last night flashed through his mind—Alec naked, moaning, panting…his lower lip caught between his teeth coyly and toes curled in pleasure as Magnus fingered the hell (heaven?) out of him.

Magnus’s grin turned feral. He practically ripped the door off its hinges and stepped out into the open-floorplan of his loft, not even caring that he wasn’t in his preferred state, hair or make-up wise.

Magnus halted dead in his tracks.

Alec was on his kitchen floor, sitting propped up against the bottom row of dark, wooden cabinets, and covered in flour and egg. He looked positively disgruntled.

Above him on the counter was the culprit: next to a box of pancake mix that was currently spilling over the edge, was Chairman Meow. The cupboard where Magnus stored his pots and pans was opened beside Alec, a few strewn onto the floor, and at least half a dozen broken eggs completed the picture.

When Alec noticed Magnus’s presence, his expression became sheepish and he instantly pointed upwards, towards the cat.

“It’s the Chairman’s fault!” he burst out and Magnus chuckled as he walked around the island that looked into the living room, to survey the mess. The Chairman bristled suddenly and leapt off the counter, over the Shadowhunter’s head and skidded out of the room, looking rather affronted at being scapegoated. “I thought we were _friends!”_ Alec called after the feline with a huff.

Magnus raised an eyebrow and crouched down before the younger man. He pulled a piece of eggshell out the filthy black hair as he met Alec’s lovely hazel eyes.

“You know, darling,” Magnus began genially, “if you wanted pancakes for breakfast, you could’ve just woke me. You know how much I enjoy cooking for you.” Alec dropped his gaze and his cheeks tinged a light shade of pink.

“I wanted to bring you breakfast in bed for once,” Alec muttered dolefully, his finger reaching out to doodle a rune in the flour covering the tiled floor. Magnus felt his heart clench in his chest at the man’s candid words and he brought one hand up to cup the underside of Alec’s jaw gently. He ran his thumb along the bottom of those lush, rosy lips and almost _cried_ when Alec pressed a light kiss onto the pad of his thumb.

How he loved Alexander Lightwood…

Alec surveyed him thoughtfully. “Are you okay, Magnus?” he asked softly against Magnus’s thumb.

Clearing his throat, Magnus murmured back to him, “Yes, my darling it’s just…It’s just been a long time since someone wanted to make me breakfast in bed. That’s all.” He didn’t know why he admitted that to Alec. He didn’t like discussing his past too often, _especially_ the heartbreaks, and Alec was kind enough to never pry too far, lest he open old wounds.

Alec looked sad. “I’m sorry I ruined it, then.”

Magnus beamed. “Are you kidding me? I have a nearly-naked, twenty-year-old man on the floor of my kitchen, I—” He broke off and looked down at Alec’s lap. “…are those mine?”

Alec’s face was practically glowing red now and his hands came up immediately to cover himself because he was wearing a pair of briefs that most certainly did _not_ belong to him.

For starters, they were a rich shade of purple and _deliciously_ revealing.

“Uh…yeah,” Alec responded, looking mortified. Magnus felt his excitement rise and multiply.

“Stand up, stand up, you _must_ stand up, darling!” He told him eagerly and he shot back to his feet, pulling his boyfriend up with him as he went.

“Wha—” Magnus twirled him around before Alec could finish whatever he’d been about to say, so that he was facing away from him. The purple coloring of the briefs made a lovely contrast against Alec’s pale skin. They were a little smaller on Alec than they were on Magnus because Alec was both taller than him and his backside was…rounder. An enviable ass.

He wasn’t ashamed to admit he fantasized about Alec’s perky posterior at _least_ every other hour of his day, or that he habitually opened doors for the younger man because, while Magnus Bane was a _proper_ gentleman, he also wasn’t going say ‘no’ at any opportunity to ogle the Shadowhunter from behind.

The cut of the briefs on Alec rose a bit above the under-curve of his ass, so that his cheeks were peeking out just enough to captivate Magnus and force him to consider if tearing them off the man would truly be considered a loss.

It wouldn’t, he decided. There were dozens of pairs of underwear in his closet but only _one_ Alexander Gideon Lightwood.

The best part—besides his Nephilim’s pert ass, of course—was the word _Naughty_ written across the backside in white, cursive lettering.

“I do hope you realize you’ve just opened a _whole_ new realm of possibilities for me, Alexander,” he told him, his hands coming down to caress his boyfriend’s butt longingly. Alec’s breathing hitched at the contact and Magnus stepped closer to him, resting his forehead against the smooth skin of his back.

He exhaled slowly, the warmth of his breath igniting little goosebumps along the Shadowhunter’s flesh.

Alec swallowed.

“W-what do you mean?” he asked breathlessly and his flour-covered hands gripped at the counter as if he needed to brace himself.

“I foresee _a_ _lot_ of new, sexy underwear in your future, darling.”

“And here I thought that seeing into the future was something you were unable to do,” Alec responded wryly.

“Oh, you’d be _surprised_ at what I am able to _do_ , Alexander, with proper motivation, of course.”

Alec gulped.

“I’ve created a monster, haven’t I?” he groaned, his shoulders slumping forward.

Magnus hummed, his hands drifting from his rear-end to rest lightly on the younger man’s slender hips. “Hmm, well you should’ve known better than to tempt me in such a way,” he said cheerfully, before peppering little kisses along his spine.

“So I did, then?” Alec asked curiously. The hope in his voice was so adorably obvious that Magnus had to tug him back into his arms just so he could hug him tightly. “Tempt you, I mean,” he clarified.

Magnus bit lightly onto his shoulder blade, and then soothed it with another kiss. “With an ass like yours, sweetheart, you could tempt anyone with eyes.” To prove himself, he gently bumped his _very_ prominent erection against Alec’s posterior. Alec moaned at the contact.

“Would you like to join me for a shower, my love?” Magnus asked quietly, his cheek resting on the back of Alec’s strong shoulder.

“What about breakfast?” he rasped out, sinking back willingly into Magnus’s embrace.

“Hmm, I’d rather taste you instead,” Magnus said, his body rocking against the Nephilim’s. Alec huffed out an incredulous laugh.

“You’re trying to turn me into some kind of sex-fiend, aren’t you?” Magnus’s blunt nails skimmed up a set of firm thighs.

“Is it working?” Magnus quipped.

“I could probably use some more convincing,” Alec said drolly and then he yelped when Magnus reached back to pinch his bottom.

“How about that shower, then?”

“Depends…are you going to keep molesting me?”

“If you’re amenable, darling.”

Alec wriggled out of his arms and turned himself around, so that he was wedged between Magnus and the kitchen counter. He grasped the warlock by the biceps and yanked him right up against his toned chest before kissing him enthusiastically on the mouth.

“I am _definitely_ amenable,” he whispered against his lips. Magnus grinned at him and reached down to lace their fingers together, so he could guide his lover into the master bath and ravish him thoroughly. He was stopped by the time they got midway into his bedroom, however, by a gentle tug on their clasped hands from Alec.

“Alec?” He asked, his head turning back to look at the other man inquiringly. Alec gnawed on his lip, like he so often did when he was uncertain or shy about something and he looked down for a second, shuffling his bare feet against the faux-fur area rug on Magnus’s bedroom floor.

“I just wanted…” he paused again, purposefully avoiding Magnus’s gaze so Magnus crooked a finger beneath Alec’s chin to draw his eyes back to him.

“You can tell me anything, Alec. What is it that you want?” he asked, concern budding inside of him.

Alec’s hazel eyes were wide and he licked his lips before whispering. _“Aku cinta kamu.”_

Magnus’s heart lurched suddenly and it took him a minute to regain proper use of all his faculties. Hot tears prickled the back of his eyes, but he stubbornly forced them to retreat, and a lump pushed adamantly against his Adam’s apple but he swallowed that into submission, as well.

_“Aku mencintaimu juga.”_

 Alec gave him a hesitant smile and fiddled with their interwoven hands idly.

“I’m kind of hoping that was an ‘I love you too’?” he asked. “Or did I say it wrong and I ended up like…insulting you, or something? Did I say it wrong?”

Magnus laughed softly and squeezed his hand in reassurance. “You said it perfectly, _sayang_.”

**…**

**_ TWO WEEKS LATER... _ **

**MAGNUS (4:47pm):** Is it 6 yet?

 **ALEC (4:51pm):** I wish.

 **MAGNUS (4:52pm):** Time has been dragging today.

 **ALEC (4:54pm):** I know what you me mean. This whole damn week has been dragging by. I miss you. What have you been up to, today?

 **MAGNUS (4:56pm):** I miss you too, Angel! So very, very much. :) …I had to meet a client for lunch at noon today…yawn.

 **ALEC (4:57pm):** That fun, huh?

 **MAGNUS (4:59pm):** About as fun as a drill-bit dildo.

 **ALEC (5:01pm):** …what??

 **MAGNUS (5:03pm):** Sorry, dear. I’m watching that “American Horror Story” show right now. It’s giving a whole new meaning to “screwing”...quite graphic.

 **ALEC (5:05pm):** Oh boy. Ok. Let’s NEVER watch that show together.

 **MAGNUS (5:08pm):** Really? This season has Lady Gaga in it and she has a LOT of sex. Granted, she ends up slaughtering half the people she fucks…but I mean, it’s Gaga. She’s almost as magnificent as I am.

 **ALEC (5:10pm):** …We are NEVER watching that show together, Magnus Bane.

 **MAGNUS (5:12pm):** Fair enough, darling.

 **MAGNUS (5:13pm):** I love you.

 **MAGNUS (5:15pm):** Je t’aime. Ich liebe dich.

 **MAGNUS (5:17pm):** Te amo. Wo ai ni. Jeg elsker dig.

 **MAGNUS (5:19pm):**  Ti amo. Kocham cię. Ya lyublyu tebya. Phom rak khun.

**MAGNUS (5:21m):   :(  :(  :(**

**MAGNUS (5:22pm):** ALEXANDER, LOVE ME BACK!

 **ALEC (5:24pm):** Sorry! Izzy was talking to me. I love you too, Magnus. What language is that?

 **ALEC (5:26pm):** Magnus?

 **ALEC (5:27pm):** Magnus…

 **ALEC (5:28pm):** I love you back!

 **ALEC (5:31pm):** Okay, what do I have to do to make you feel better?

 **MAGNUS (5:32pm):**   Get your cute butt over here and all will be forgiven.  

 **ALEC (5:33pm):** 27 minutes left until I can get out of here.

**MAGNUS (5:34pm):   :(**

**MAGNUS (5:35pm):** Fuck. I have to go.

 **ALEC (5:36pm):** Ok?

 **MAGNUS (5:37pm):** Emergency.

 **ALEC (5:38pm):** Are you ok?

 **ALEC (5:39pm):**   Magnus what’s going on???

 **ALEC (5:40pm):** Magnus!

 **MAGNUS (5:41pm):** I’m fine, darling! Just forgot to do something before you get here. I’ll see you at 6. Be safe. I love you! xoxoxxx

 **ALEC (5:42pm):** Oh. Ok? Sounds good. I love you too.

 **ALEC (5:43pm):** xo

**…**

“Magnus?” Alec called when he arrived at the warlock’s loft shortly after their texting conversation came to an abrupt halt. Magnus sauntered out of the bedroom and met Alec in the middle of the living room with a warm kiss.

“Hello there, my darling Alexander,” Magnus said, his eyes twinkling brightly and he suddenly looked so roguish that Alec’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. It wasn’t that he didn’t _trust_ Magnus. That certainly wasn’t the case.

He just knew the man well enough by now to recognize that _‘I’m up to no good’_ look of his. That was the look that usually left Alec wholly concerned for his boyfriend’s sanity. Either that, or covered in an obscene number of hickeys by the time he went home.

“Hmm,” Alec responded, eyeing the other man critically.

“I’ve got a present for you…” Magnus told him happily. Alec took a step back reflexively and Magnus looked rather offended at the action. “Oh don’t be so nervous, darling, it is a completely _harmless_ gift.”

“Ah, okay…I’m sorry. I-I didn’t mean to seem ungrateful, or anything.” Alec said, scratching the back of his head tentatively.

“No matter, dearest. Come, with me!” He spun around with his usual flourish and led Alec to the bedroom and Alec followed him dutifully, feeling both nervous and intrigued.

He’d never been given a gift by someone who wasn’t his family.

He’d never gotten a gift from a boyfriend.

Probably because, before Magnus, he’d never even been in a relationship…but still.

The God-forsaken butterflies were back. He mentally squashed each and every one of them and attempted to fill the silence.

“I-It’s not a drill-bit dildo, is it?” Alec asked, laughing. Magnus stopped in the threshold of the bedroom.

Without missing a beat, his head whipped around and his eyes widened in astonish. “How did you know?”

Alec choked, gaping in horror at Magnus who dropped his façade and started snickering.

“Oh Alec, you should see your face…No, sweetheart, I’m kidding. No drill-bit dildos. I promise you…By the Angel, that was absolutely _horrific_ to watch…”

Alec flushed, feeling stupid for being so gullible because _of course_ Magnus was teasing him.

God, even after _seven_ months, he still managed to make himself look like a naïve fool in front of the other man.

“Here we are!”

He handed Alec a medium-sized box with a black matte finish, tied with a large shimmering bow and a tag that read _Alexander._ “I almost forgot to wrap it properly.”

So _that_ was why Magnus had rushed to get off the phone with him. It honestly didn’t come as a surprise to Alec; Magnus was all about proper presentation in all that he did. He smiled at Magnus.

“What brought this on?” Alec asked. “It’s not my birthday or anything…”

Shit.

Was he supposed to get Magnus a gift? Were they celebrating an anniversary of some sorts and Alec didn’t realize? His stomach squirmed nervously at the prospect that maybe he was letting Magnus down.

“Oh, I know that, darling. Let’s just say...you _inspired_ me, a couple weeks back,” he said mysteriously, sitting down on the silky duvet that covered his bed. He patted the spot next to him and Alec settled down beside him with the present in his lap.

Alec felt heat rise into his face when he realized what Magnus was inferring. That night a couple weeks ago had been…intimate.

Amazing.

And very new.

…Inspiring?

“Are you sure it’s not a dildo, then?” he asked and then he mentally kicked himself because, seriously, _why_ did he keep bringing up the damn dildo? Why did his brain and mouth refuse to correlate...especially around his warlock boyfriend, of all people? Magnus leaned back on his arms casually and his head tilted to the side as he observed Alec carefully.

“Do you _want_ a dildo, Alexander?” he asked seriously. One hand came up and stroked the perfectly trimmed facial hair around his lips and chin as he glanced at his nightstand briefly and then back to Alec. “I don’t actually have one here, but I could get you one. I do have a nice little vibrating prostate massager, though, if you’re really interested. Top drawer.”

Alec choked.

On air.

Again.

“No,” he wheezed, “No, I think I’m good, thanks.”

Magnus shrugged noncommittally and gestured for Alec to open the present.

Alec tugged on the white ribbon and it came undone in one easy tug. He set that aside, and then the lid along with it, before pulling off the glittery tissue paper that covered—

“I _knew_ I created a monster,” Alec mumbled, shaking his head in disbelief at the contents of the box. Magnus grinned broadly.

“Like I said: _inspired_ ,” he said proudly. “Of course, I won’t blame you if you would prefer to stash them here rather than at the institute. I get it; communal laundry rooms, and whatnot,” he continued, waving his land lazily, “but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t…eager to have you try them on for me.”

Alec’s mouth went dry as he stared down at the contents of the box and then his eyes flitted up to look at Magnus’s, who suddenly had an expression of hesitancy on his face.

“…Alec, you don’t _have_ to. You know that. I don’t want you to ever do anything you’re not one-hundred percent comfortable or ready for.”

Alec pondered the box in his lap.

He thought of the way Magnus’s face lit up a couple of weeks ago when he’d realized Alec was wearing his underwear. Alec had discovered them in Magnus’s fresh laundry and had been feeling a bit bolder than normal.

He recalled the night before that, when he’d been fingered into the best orgasm of his _life_ and the shower they had after the breakfast fiasco, where they jerked each other off and humped like rabbits under the warm water of Magnus’s waterfall showerhead.

All those times, Magnus had that same look in his eyes—that smoldering look that made Alec feel _desirable_. And…if he was being honest with himself, he truly liked the way he felt in the sexier underwear. Admittedly, he wasn’t the most confident but he knew his body wasn’t totally unappealing. He was kept in good shape, training daily.

 _Magnus_ definitely had no qualms about his body, it seemed…but knowing that the very sight of him in those briefs last week made Magnus ‘weak in the knees’ (his words, not Alec’s), empowered Alec.

Rendering the High Warlock of Brooklyn speechless was...exhilarating.

Finally, Alec smirked at his boyfriend, snatched up a pair of underwear out of the package, stood up, and proceeded to strip himself of his clothing. Magnus’s eyes rounded almost comically.

“Is this really happening?” Magnus asked, astounded.

Shirking out of his jacket, Alec nodded his head. “Yes, Magnus, it’s really happening,” he confirmed, and then he unbuttoned his pants, shimmying them down with the slightest wiggle of his hips.

He kicked them to the side and pulled his shirt over his head as Magnus shifted up the bed to lean against the headboard, his lean legs outstretched in front of him and crossed at the ankle casually.

Oh.

So Magnus was hoping for a _show_.

“I feel like a kid in the candy store,” the warlock sighed dreamily. Alec snorted and rolled his eyes as he turned around to remove his own boxer-briefs, giving the warlock a full-on view of his bare ass. Alec smiled secretly when the older man elicited a groaned expletive under his breath. “…and I’ve found something I really want to get my mouth on,” Magnus sang gleefully.

“You’re ridiculous,” Alec told him with a chuckle, but excitement bubbled up inside of him nonetheless. He pulled the new briefs up over his butt and turned around, hands on his hips and looked at his boyfriend expectantly.

Magnus looked positively wicked. “How do they feel, darling?” Alec licked his lips and he was silent for a moment, his hand coming up to tug at the waistband of the underwear.

“They’re a little…snug, I guess. But they’re actually more comfortable than I thought they’d be,” he answered honestly. This pair was silver and incredibly soft to the touch.

Alec turned to look at himself in Magnus’s full-length mirror and then stilled.

“Magnus?”

“Yes, Alexander?”

“What does my…butt say?” he turned again, trying to catch the right angle to make sense of the backwards lettering in his reflection.

 _“…‘Naughty Nephilim’.”_ Magnus said after a moment.

“Y-You got these _customized_?” Alec croaked out. He cleared his throat.

Magnus nodded. “Just two of them I had customized. The other three were just…coincidental?”

“Oh boy,” Alec said exasperatedly as he walked back to the gift box and pulled out a red pair, with black writing on one side and the image of a black handprint on the other...right over where a butt cheek would be. He nearly dropped them.

 _“…‘It’s not gonna spank itself?’”_ he squeaked. Magnus shrugged nonchalantly.

“Well, they’re not _wrong_ …” he began mildly, but didn’t try to further explain his inane reasoning. Alec swallowed and set them on the bedspread and pulled out a very… _rainbow_ -y pair.

_Hey, I'm gay!_

He raised an eyebrow.

“What? I have a pair in the colors of the bisexual flag. They say _'Hi, I'm bi!' ..._ I thought we could synchronize,” he defended matter-of-factly.

“Right.” Alec said dryly.

The fourth pair—light blue—simply, _Angel._ A bit tamer, he supposed. He smiled at them and set them to the side.

Finally, the last pair.

Gold.

Satin.

He read it once.

Twice.

Three times.

Alec gaped openly at them. Magnus gave him a sly grin.

“Now _those_ are my absolute _favorite_.”

_Oh, Alec was so going to get his revenge._

“Of course they are,” Alec deadpanned. Shaking his head, he turned around, slid the silver pair he was wearing down his legs, stepped out of them. He slowly bent over to pick the briefs off the floor, and tossed them in the direction of the bed, where they hit Magnus square in the face.

He stepped into the golden pair.

He bent over again to pull them up.

He got them up over his hips with a slightly more exaggerated wiggle.

…Magnus swore loudly.

Alec smirked.

_Property of Magnus Bane._

 

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I may have had way too much fun at Alec's expense with this chapter.


	8. Boy Troubles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Over 500 kudos on SEVEN chapters? Not to mention all the lovely comments you guys have been leaving behind. You guys continuously blow me away! Seriously; all of it is making me want to ugly-cry giant tears of joy.
> 
> One quick note...I'm getting close to the end of this little fic...as much as it pains me to say. I've loved writing these chapters more than I ever thought I would. It started out as a random one-shot, after all. But with the start of the new season drawing nearer (can I get a hallelujah?), I think it will be nice to wrap this story up, tie it with a glittery little bow and move on before we're introduced to more of the TV canon. 
> 
> Who knows, though? Maybe I'll have to write a new story stemming from S2. ;) I do love writing Malec. Anyway! Hope y'all enjoy what is the longest chapter I've written for this story so far. whew.

* * *

_“_ _Dios mío_ …no.”

“Oh come on, just hear what he has to say!”

“You’re on probation here, do you really think it’s wise to test me?”

“Okay, it’s been  _months_ since—”

“You betrayed me. You’re lucky I took you back.”

“Yeah, but I think I’ve proven myself an asset to the team by now, don’t you think?

“ _One_ year of probation was what we decided on as punishment for your transgressions. Now get him out.”

“Raphael—”

_“¡Ahora!”_

_“Raph—”_

“I don’t trust these Shadowhunters. I want him out of here.”

“You don’t trust _anyone._ ”

“ _Dios mío—_ fine! _Idiota_ …what do you want, Shadowhunter?” Raphael hissed, spinning around to glare furiously at Alec. “Come to break out more of my prisoners?”

“Uh…do you _have_ any more prisoners here?” Alec asked warily, glancing around the room as if he were expecting to find random people chained to the walls.

“That is none of your business.”

“He doesn’t,” Simon interjected and then sidestepped to the right quickly when Raphael snarled at him.

“Get _out_ of here, _idiota!_ Go!”

Simon gave Alec an apologetic smile and bolted from the room with inhuman speed, leaving Alec in a standoff with Raphael Santiago. The other man eyed him with blatant distrust, folding his arms over his torso and jutted his chin forward. Alec forced himself not to scoff or roll his eyes at the man.

“What do you want?”

“I have a favor to—”

“You've got to be kidding me…” the shorter man snapped, his arms uncrossing so he could throw them up in the air, clearly exasperated. Seriously…how did Magnus put up with the irritable vampire? They were like…polar opposites.

Although Magnus had his distrust of people, especially Alec’s fellow Shadowhunters, he was still…amiable. Pleasant. He was colorful and laidback, extroverted and a bit…eccentric.

Raphael, though, was a moody son-of-a-bitch. He was drab and dreary, aloof and clearly disliked being around other people…

Holy fuck, Raphael was… _him_.

He was like  _Alec_.

Dark wardrobe. Moody. Introverted. Not a people-person.

_'You certainly have a type, don’t you, Magnus?'_

_By the Angel, did Magnus and Raphael ever…?_

His hands clenched up quickly into loose fists as he bit back the desire to hold the vampire and knifepoint and interrogate him about his past with Magnus. He supposed that would be counter-productive, though. He was on a mission.

“It’s about Magnus,” Alec told him shortly.

Raphael shook his head and muttered rapid Spanish under his breath to himself as he sank down into and armchair, sitting in it stiffly but haughtily, almost like he was…royalty; the king sitting in his throne.

“I am not a therapist. I am not a relationship consultant. I am also not a sixteen year-old-girl who gives a tiny rat’s ass if you are having boy troubles. I am completely and entirely, one-hundred-and- _fifty_ percent. Not. Interested. In your and Magnus’s love-life. Whatsoever. _Dios_ , you both are nauseating.”

Alec bristled and scowled at the other man from his spot across the room. He crossed his own arms over his chest defensively. “I’m not here to—I don’t-I don't have _‘boy troubles’!”_

 _Nice, Alec,_ he thought, _you might as well stomp your foot and pout for emphasis._

Raphael regarded him critically.

 _“Fantastic,”_ he said sarcastically. “Alright then, Shadowhunter—why are you here?”

“I need the key to Magnus’s apartment. You’re the only other person besides Magnus who has it and I—”

“No.”

“I—”

“No.”

“I nee—”

“If Magnus hasn’t given you a key, then that’s your problem. Now _leave_.”

“I...wanted to do something for him. You know, like a…like a surprise.”

Raphael glared at him. Alec wanted to deck him.

“I loathe you teenagers. You’re all a bunch of snot-nosed and love-struck little twerps.”

“I am not a teenager!”

“Yes, well, you might as well be. What are you? _Maybe_  twenty-two, tops.” Alec swallowed, his face heating up indignantly.

“…twenty,” he bit out reluctantly.

“Little _bebe_ ,” Raphael simpered with a cold smile, his fangs catching the candlelight and gleaming. Alec fumed.

“You’re not a sixteen-year-old girl, but you sure do look like a lot like a sixteen-year-old _boy_.” It was a low-blow, Alec knew, and Magnus would probably be upset with him for it if he ever found out.

Raphael wasn’t like Magnus; he didn’t just stop ageing one day in his early adulthood…from the looks of him, he had to have been turned at a rather young age. Alec figured it was also probably a touchy subject for the man forever stuck in his teenaged body. He just…he just couldn’t _help_ himself.

Raphael’s eyes flashed dangerously but he didn’t move from his seat. The only thing that gave away his anger were his fingers gripping into the leather armrests of his chair.

“Let me be clear, _Shadowhunter_ ,” he began in a low, ominous voice, “the only reason I am not ripping your throat out right now is because Magnus has finally gone senile in his ancient age and actually  _likes_ you. I, however, do not. I also owe you no favors. Get _out.”_

 _Yeah, that, and you’d be breaking the Accords if you were to rip my throat out,_ Alec thought silently. He clenched his teeth and made his way to the door.

“Then again...”

Huh?

“…Magnus has this sixteenth century painting I’ve been itching to get my hands on. An  _El Greco._ Get it for me and you can have the key.”

Alec whipped his head back towards the vampire, his eyes wide with disbelief.

“Y-you want me to _steal_ something from Magnus?”

Raphael looked unperturbed. “He’s got so many artifacts and relics; I don’t think he’d even notice it missing, if it makes you feel better.” Alec could hardly believe the words coming out of Raphael’s mouth. He was—he was Magnus’s friend! He was a total jerk, yes, but his _friend_ nonetheless.

Alec was disgusted; his own feelings aside, though, Alec’s chest _ached_ for his boyfriend. Magnus had been hurt before, and although Alec didn’t know too many details, he knew Magnus didn’t need more people in his very long and  _immortal_ life letting him down and breaking his heart.

He eyed the vampire in distaste. “Go fuck yourself,” he spat and then he stormed from the room, hands clenched so tightly that his nails dug into the palms of his hands. His blood was boiling, and it took everything Alec had not to turn back and shoot the bastard in the fucking eye with one of his arrows.

Accords be _damned_ , Magnus deserved better.

“Shadowhunter.”

Okay, did the vampire _want_ Alec to end him?

He reigned in his temper the best he could before he spun back around and to find Raphael leaning against the wall of the hallway casually, as if he wasn’t the world’s most revolting person right now.

Raphael studied him for a moment with pursed lips, contemplating, before he reached into the pocket of his suit jacket, withdrew something, and then tossed it to Alec, who caught it instinctively. He blinked once, puzzled, before looking down at the small golden key that lay in his palm.

_What?_

Raphael scoffed and rolled his eyes.

“I don’t care whatever dumb _surprise_ you have planned for your stupid little ‘date night’ with Magnus, but you better do whatever it takes to keep him happy. Get on your knees if you have to, because if you screw things up, _I_ don’t want that damn warlock blaming and coming after me. I don't need him to start blowing holes through my walls… _again_. _”_ He warned with him with a huff and then he turned abruptly and sped back down the hallway, out of sight.

Alec stared after him, perplexed.

**…**

A few days after procuring the key to Magnus's loft, Alec stood in the empty apartment, specifically his boyfriend's bedroom.

Alec didn’t have a clue what he was doing.

Untrue...he did know what he was doing.

He just didn’t know _how_ he was going to go about it, because…because he’d never done anything quite like… _this_ before.

He stared at Magnus’s bed intently, as if it were going to start speaking to him, as if it would talk him through this, but it offered no assistance. No advice. Nothing.

Stupid, worthless, inanimate bed.

…and now he was griping because a piece of furniture wasn’t offering him guidance…

Sex shouldn’t be this complicated. Magnus had told him that. Magnus never made _anything_ they did over-complicated. He kept it simple. Easy. Relaxed. Pleasurable.

Yet, the love was still there. The passion was still there.

...but Alec had zero experience in this area, and Magnus was…practically an expert. You don’t have _hundreds_ of years of experience under your belt without ending up being good in bed. Practice made perfect, after all.

Magnus always seemed so certain. He always knew what to do with his hands, and mouth and tongue and fingers and…

Alec swallowed and shut his eyes tightly.

 …and Alec, Alec wouldn’t be any good. He wouldn’t move with the grace and skill the warlock did. What if he was _terrible_ , though? What if he came too soon or...what if he _hated_ it? What if Magnus didn’t even get off at all, because Alec was so bad?

He glared at the bed with its soft, red blankets and silken pillows. It was so pristinely made, too. So warm and inviting and flawless.

It mocked him.

The bed knew how to be a bed. The bed just sat there, and knew exactly what it was doing, what its purpose was, what was expected of—

_‘Get out of your head, darling…’_

_‘I don’t have any expectations, Alec.’_

_‘You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, Alexander.’_

_‘I don’t want you to ever do anything you’re not one-hundred percent comfortable or ready for.’_

But…Alec felt ready. He _wanted_ to have sex with Magnus. He didn’t have any doubts about that. He certainly wouldn’t ever _regret_ losing his virginity to Magnus. Virginity was a stupid, stupid concept, anyway.

No, Alec just didn’t want to _humiliate_ himself.

But…had Magnus ever made him feel humiliated or ashamed? Had Magnus ever forced him do anything he wasn’t sure about? Had he ever made Alec feel like he was anything less than…perfect?

No. Never.

Magnus was always so kind. So patient.

Gentle. Wise. Encouraging. Understanding.

Alec loved Magnus and Magnus loved Alec, and that was all that mattered. Not Magnus’s experience or Alec’s lack thereof. It could be that simple. Magnus would help him keep it simple, because he always had a way of soothing Alec’s concerns.

Alec smiled softly to himself, and reached out to pat the bed apologetically for hating on it so much a few minutes ago.

Taking a deep breath, Alec undid the buttons on his shirt and slipped out of it. He folded it neatly and sat it on the chaise in the corner of the bedroom, then his socks, shoes, and jeans followed, until he was stripped down to his briefs.

He trotted over to the massive walk-in closet, opened it and immediately felt a little guilty, because he was…he was in here without permission. He was in Magnus’s _apartment_ without permission, technically, but he really didn’t think Magnus was going to care about that…but the wardrobe was almost like sacred ground. The holy grail of clothing, shoes, and accessories and Alec felt like he didn't belong in here.

But his drawer was in here…the drawer Magnus had declared Alec’s very own. It had a couple spare pairs of jeans, two black tees, socks, simple boxer-briefs and of course, Alec’s…other underwear. The briefs that Magnus bought for him, that were tight and skimpy and had the warlock drooling shamelessly when he tried them on a few weeks prior.

He grabbed out the golden pair, Magnus’s favorite.

The pair that had the man’s name on them.

He probably should’ve felt objectified by them.

He really didn’t, though; he liked feeling wanted. Desired. Committed. He was strong on his own; he was a soldier, a _Shadowhunter_. 

But with Magnus, he felt powerful in an entirely new way. Like the warlock had managed to unlock something inside of Alec that he hadn't known was there before.

He climbed out of his black boxer-briefs and pulled the new pair on, his fingers trailing against the silken material softly. He liked the way they felt against his skin, even if they were a little flashier and a little more revealing than he was used to.

The best part was, no one besides him and Magnus knew of their existence. If he wanted to, Alec could wear them underneath his clothing, and everybody would be none the wiser. It was his and Magnus’s little secret.

“’Well isn’t this a treat?” came a voice from behind Alec. Alec jumped, startled by a new presence that was entirely unwelcome. He bolted to the side of the bed, the side opposite the one closest to the door, because the last thing on the planet he wanted right now, was to be standing in skimpy underwear in front of Camille Belcourt.

Camille was leaning against the doorframe, examining her red fingernails casually. “Cute little undies you’ve got on there…can't say I’m surprised; Magnus _was_ always an ass-man,” she told him smoothly, a smug little smirk adorned her face and for the second time that week, Alec began fantasizing punching a vampire.

She was pretty, Alec could admit that much, and she and Magnus definitely had a history. While Magnus had been quick to assure him that there was nothing left between them, it didn’t stop Alec from feeling threatened by the beautiful and _immortal_ woman.

“What are you doing here?” Alec ground out through his clenched teeth. He grabbed the closest pillow off the bed and hugged it against himself, trying to preserve what little modesty he had left. She was gazing at him like she wanted to devour him…and _not_ in a Magnus-way.

“I’m here to see Magnus, of course. This _is_ his loft these days, yes? Oh, and you left the door unlocked, sweetie,” she told him, walking into the room a couple more steps, “…anyone could walk right on in. You’re lucky it was only little ol’ me.” She finished in a saccharine voice that had heavy undertones of condescension woven in. 

It grated on his nerves.

She came closer, now standing on the opposite side of the bed from Alec. Her hand reached out to stroke up the tall wooden post of the bed, fingers grazing along the shimmering fabric of the canopy, almost like she was caressing a lover.

“Magnus doesn’t want you here.”

She observed him lazily with a tilt of her head.

“Are you sure about that, pretty boy?” she murmured, swinging herself around the post gracefully to inch closer to Alec’s side of the bed. “How can you be certain Magnus hasn’t had me in his bed whenever you’re off killing demons like a good little Shadowhunter?”

Alec’s nostrils flared at her words, but he _refused_ to be baited by her, so he swallowed his pride down and remained silent.

She wasn’t done.

“Hmm, how can you be positive he isn’t in this very bed with me every time you’re not around, touching me, caressing me, making sweet, _sweet_ love to me—”

 _“Shut up!”_ Alec spat at her heatedly. Her grin widened, showing off her pearly-white fangs and she observed him knowingly.

“Don’t tell me you haven’t fucked, yet?” she told him, laughing coldly and Alec stiffened. “Oh _honey_ , what are you waiting for? It’s been months _,_ already; he’s going to get _bored_. Don’t be scared. Magnus is an animal in bed but I’m sure he’ll be gentle for your first time.”

Alec wanted to puke—not just at the words themselves, but the fact that it was _Camille_ saying them, trying to get inside his head and put doubt in there. He swallowed thickly and opened his mouth to respond—

“That’s _enough_.”

Alec jumped.

 _Magnus_ _._

His boyfriend had returned home and was standing in the doorway looking...

...looking downright frightening _._ His arms hung by his sides, but his hands were crackling with vibrant blue magic. Magnus’s glamour had completely dropped and his golden cat-eyes flashed menacingly as he regarded his ex-lover. 

Camille giggled softly and twirled around to face the warlock unflinchingly. “Hello, Magnus,” she said mildly.

“You are not welcome here, Camille,” Magnus said. Although he appeared angry, his voice remained even. “Please see yourself out.” She heaved an exaggerated sigh.

“I was just having a bit of _fun_ with your boy toy here, Magnus. I meant no harm,” she told him breezily. Alec glowered at the back of her sleek, black head of hair. “I’m here on business,” she added.

“Then you can call me on the phone. Send me a letter. Hell, you can send up a goddamn smoke signal, for all I care. You _cannot_ , however, come into my home uninvited and harass my boyfriend for your own amusement. Now leave, Camille, or I will make you.”

She deflated slightly but her smirk never left her face and she merely walked past Magnus, her hand brushing his arm briefly, and then she zipped out of Magnus’s apartment in a blur, leaving Alec and Magnus in the silence.

Alec warred with himself, torn between being relieved and being annoyed because… _no, don’t be stupid, Alec,_ he told himself firmly.

“Magnus,” he began apprehensively, “I’m sorry.”

Magnus’s eyes shifted back to their dark brown state and he glimpsed over at Alec, puzzled.

“For what?”

“I’m-I’m in your apartment,” Alec said.

“I can see that darling. And it’s not even date night—was Camille here long?” he asked him. He seemed distracted.

Because of _Camille._

Alec stared at him, dumbfounded. “I’m in your apartment, in my _underwear_ , and you want to know how long _Camille_ was here?”

He sounded snarky, he knew. He couldn’t help himself, though. In the few minutes the vampire had been there, she managed to successfully push all the wrong buttons on Alec. His skin prickled unpleasantly, like he could still feel her presence and it was _ruining_ things for him.

Magnus frowned. “Okay then…Why are you in my apartment, in your underwear?” he asked tiredly, shrugging out of his dark-red blazer and draping it over his bed. He sat down on the mattress and unlaced his shiny black shoes.

Alec’s shoulders slumped.

“Never mind. No—Camille wasn’t here long.” Alec walked over to his own clothes and proceeded to don them, jeans first. “Does she come around here unannounced often?”

Magnus paused, eyes flickering over across the room to him. “No. She hasn’t been here since—”

Alec scoffed to himself as he tugged his socks on. “Since she kissed you?”

“…Right.”

“Right.” Alec repeated. Why…why did he feel so _pissed off?_ Magnus hadn’t done anything wrong. On the contrary, the warlock had kicked the woman out of his apartment. Still…the prickling on his skin intensified.

Magnus exhaled loudly. “What did she say to you?”

Alec ignored the question. “Does she call you a lot?” he asked tetchily, buttoning up his shirt swiftly. Magnus pinched the bridge of his nose like he was trying to stave off a headache.

“No, she doesn’t call me, Alexander. I don’t think she even has my number.”

“Okay.” Alec responded shortly, shoving his left foot into his boot.

“What did she say to you?” Magnus repeated. “I only heard that last part.”

“…It doesn’t matter,” Alec said, sighing. “I know it wasn’t true.” He put on his right one.

“Alec.”

“Don’t worry about it. It was nothing.”

“Alec!”

Alec stopped, halfway into the tying of his boot. He’d never heard Magnus sound so irritated before—not towards _him,_ at least. It was like a kick to the gut. Alec looked up at his boyfriend.

“ _What_ did she say to you,” Magnus asked, aggravated. He was sitting on the bed still, in just his slacks and a white, sleeveless shirt that showed off his tan biceps. Under normal circumstances, Alec would’ve taken a moment to appreciate them.

“She said that you two—” he swallowed around the tiny daggers in his throat. “She said that you two could be fucking when I’m not around and I’d never even know, okay?” Damn, was that _his_ bitchy voice?

Magnus blinked slowly. “And you believed her? She’s a master _manipulator_ , Alexander. Camille always has a trick up her sleeve. I told you that.”

Alec shook his head.

“No. I just _said_ that I know it’s not true.”

 _Just shut up, you idiot,_ he mentally scolded at himself, _just leave it alone._

“Then what’s your problem?”

_‘Then what’s your problem?’_

The churlish words echoed and burned at Alec’s eardrums. They were both too grumpy... because of Camille, mostly, but it was starting to spread around the room like an airborne virus and as a result they were starting to turn onto each other. Magnus was irritated, and because Magnus was irritated, _Alec_ was irritated, and because Alec was irritated, _Magnus_ was becoming _more_ irritated.

A vicious circle.

It was coming ever more obvious to Alec that his plans for the evening were no longer salvageable.

He had to leave. Before his temper got the better of him. Before his mouth opened up and he said things he’d regret immediately after because that is just what he did whenever he got defensive. He had an aptitude for mucking things up that way.

“I’m just going to go, okay?” Alec said wearily.

It was, apparently, the wrong thing to say. Magnus’s eyes flashed at him.

“You’re just going to _go?”_ He repeated scornfully, “Why’d you even bother to come here, then?” Magnus should’ve slapped him in the face. It would have hurt a lot less.

He felt the indignation bubble up in him. Magnus had no right to be angry with him. He wasn’t the one that had gotten harassed by his lover’s ex-lover!

“I wanted to surprise you,” Alec snapped, snatching up his bow and quiver and slinging them over his shoulder. “I see now that I really _shouldn’t_ have bothered.”

“How did you get a key?”

“Raphael lent it to me. Don’t be mad at him. He was just being nice.”

Magnus snorted in disbelief. “Raph is never just ‘nice’.”

Alec shrugged unhappily. “I don’t know. Him and I are actually a lot alike, I think. Have you screwed him, too?”

_SHUT UP, Lightwood! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!_

Magnus’s face grew distant and stony. “Get out of my home. Now.”

Alec’s heart dropped into his gut, but he wouldn’t cry. He refused to let Magnus see him affected. He plucked Magnus’s key out of his jeans pocket and tossed it in his direction. It landed on the bed, next to the older man.

“Gladly.” Alec said briskly, not trusting the steadiness of his voice to say anything further. He stormed out of Magnus’s loft, slamming the door shut for emphasis, because that seemed like the most logical thing to do in his current situation. The sound of the door closing resonated loudly, but it Alec didn’t find it nearly as therapeutic as he thought he would.

No.

He felt empty.

His _heart_ hurt.

He was mad at Camille. He was mad at Magnus. Most of all, however, Alec was mad at himself.

His feet felt paralyzed; he physically could not move his feet from where they were, rooted to the floor outside of Magnus’s door. He sank down onto the ground instead, on his butt, drew his knees up to his chest, and hugged them tightly.

It was nothing like how Magnus’s hugs felt.

Barely eight months into Alec’s first ever relationship, and he finally managed to mess everything up.

**...**

Magnus shattered the lamp on his bedside table.

He waved his hand and cleared the mess.                       

It was not nearly as satisfying as he hoped it’d be. He blew up the nightstand next. Fragments splintered out in every direction and Magnus had to throw up a quick shield to protect himself from becoming a warlock-kabob.

He expelled the clutter again and reclined heavily back onto his bed, snatched up a pillow and chucked it at the wall angrily.

It did nothing for him.

He rolled onto his front and rested his head on his folded arms, wondering at what point had he’d fallen so head-over-heels for Alexander that a completely _nonsensical_ argument like the one they’d just had was enough to render him this upset.

Alec was out of line…he was acting like a petulant _child_.

The younger man’s words hurt worse than one of Alec’s arrows to the chest would’ve.

_'Have you screwed him, too?'_

Magnus growled into his bedding.

Chairman Meow jumped up onto the bed suddenly, but Magnus was too busy being pissed off that he barely noticed his company until the feline stepped onto Magnus’s ass and then walked up the length of his spine, to his head, where he sniffed and purred into his ear loudly.

“I know. What’s his problem, right?” Magnus huffed out. Chairman purred louder.

Magnus was too old for such trivial arguments. He just needed to cool off, and then he’d call Alec later and invite him back over so they actually _talk_ to him and sort things out because this whole thing had evolved into the most _ridiculous_ fight ever. Alec’s words had stung, yes, but they were said in anger. Magnus wasn’t exactly unaccustomed to people lashing out. He’d done the same on more occasions than he cared to admit.

And perhaps…perhaps it was only a matter of time before Alexander’s insecurities reared their ugly head.

“Like I’d _ever_ sleep with Raphael. Alec’s being a brat.” Magnus muttered to the cat. He was rewarded with a wet nose pushed into his ear. He jerked his head away at the feeling. “Yes, I know you love him. You don’t even let _me_ pet your belly and I’m the one who fills it with that expensive, gourmet cat food you enjoy so much.” he let out a long breath, his body sinking further into the mattress like he was trying to meld with it.

Chairman Meow licked his ear with his sandpaper-like tongue and once again, Magnus was forced to shift his head away.

“Yes, yes, I love him too, okay? He might be acting like a bratty Nephilim, but he’s _my_ bratty Nephilim.”

Five minutes passed.

Ten minutes.

Fifteen.

Magnus lifted his head and turned it toward the clock on the wall. It was nearly ten-thirty now. He snatched up his discarded phone and unlocked it.

Nothing.

Not a call.

Not a text.

_You just threw him out of your apartment, what do you expect? It’s Alec. He probably doesn’t even know what to do with himself right now._

Another minute passed.

Then another.

Magnus pulled up Alec’s name from his contact list, starred under ‘FAVORITES’ and his thumbs hesitated over the keyboard screen for a split second, thinking. Then, he typed.

 **MAGNUS (10:37pm):**  Is it too late to ask you to come back here?

He set the phone aside and dropped his head back down, his cheek against the bedspread. He felt vulnerable. He hated feeling vulnerable.

Love made him vulnerable. That didn’t mean Magnus regretted it, though. Love hurt; it was inevitable. Being immortal, he knew that better than anyone. He also knew that Alec—

_Buzz._

**ALEXANDER (10:41pm):** How pathetic would you think me if I told you I never actually left?

Magnus’s brows pinched together in confusion.

 **MAGNUS (10:42pm):** Pardon me?

 **ALEXANDER (10:44pm):** I’m the loser sitting outside your door.

Magnus fixated on the message and he wasn’t sure if he was waiting for Alexander to elaborate or if he was expecting the words to spontaneously change because it had to have been at least twenty minutes since the Shadowhunter slammed his door shut. That was just enough time for Alexander to return back to the institute with the use of a rune or two.

Magnus rolled out of bed, landing stealthily on his feet and his body basically propelled itself towards the door as if he were metal gravitating to the magnetic force that was Alec Lightwood. He unlocked the door and opened it swiftly.

Alec was on the floor of the hallway outside the loft, sitting with his chin resting on his knees, his long legs bent up towards his chest and held in the circle of his strong arms. He didn’t look up or turn around when Magnus opened the door, but the curve of his spine straightened slightly in response to it, tensing like he was preparing for another round of arguing.

Magnus walked two steps forward and carefully place his hand on his boyfriend’s shoulder. “Come back inside?” Magnus murmured. Alec raised his head, his eyes pointedly avoiding Magnus’s, but nonetheless, his head bobbed in agreement and he climbed back up to his feet to follow Magnus back into the loft.

Magnus automatically headed for the minibar, poured himself a tumbler of scotch, made Alec a quick _Cuba Libre_ (more parts coke and less parts rum than the traditional recipe called for, which seemed pointless to Magnus, but that was how Alec liked it best). He handed the taller man the cocktail and then slid into his favorite armchair, gesturing to the couch for Alec to do the same.

Alec obeyed, albeit rigidly. His features were schooled so he looked impassive as he stared into his drink, and Magnus took several sips of his scotch before he spoke.

“You didn’t leave.”

Alec kept his head bowed as he traced the rim of the glass with a finger.

"..."

“I couldn’t,” Alec said, his voice low. Magnus’s eyebrows raised.

“You couldn’t?” he repeated curiously.

Alec shook his head.

“I-I don’t want to break up,” came another whisper and Magnus had to strain to hear him. Magnus leaned back in his chair, surprised.

“Why in the world would we break up?” he asked with a bewildered frown. Alec’s head shot up, his brow furrowed, and his tongue darted out to moisten his lips. When he spoke again, his voice was hoarse.

“I-I—we-we fought. You told me to leave…”

Magnus stared at him incredulously. “So you thought that meant I was breaking up with you?”

Alec winced. “Well—yeah.”

Slowly, Magnus set his half-empty glass on a coaster on the side table. “We fought, Alec. I told you to leave. I did not mean _forever.”_

“But—but I... really?”

“Couples fight, Alexander. It happens. Frankly, I’m rather impressed we’ve made it what? About eight months, before we had our first real argument? That may be a new record for me.”

“I was mean to you,” Alec said dejectedly.

“You were. Though, to be fair, I wasn’t exactly in the best of moods to begin with. I was up most of the night doing work for a new client and I had to translate—” He broke off, waving his hand like he was shooing a fly. “I digress. My point is, I’m beyond exhausted, and Camille’s presence did nothing to help my temperament. I’ve made it a point to avoid contact with her for over a century for good reason. She’s toxic.”

“You loved her once,” Alec acknowledged quietly.

“I did. It was a long time ago, but yes, I did.”

“Not anymore?”

“Not anymore. And, to be clear, I haven’t slept with Raphael, either. It’d be like having sex with a cactus—he’s _that_ prickly.” Alec let a snort of weak laughter escape but he reeled it back in quickly, unsure if it was appropriate to laugh at a time like this. Magnus gave him a tiny smile, though.

“I’m sorry,” Alec told him, picking at the frayed hole in his dark jeans nervously. “I-I love you so much, Magnus, and I’m sorry.” Magnus rose from his seat and walked across the gap between his furniture. Bracing his knee alongside the Shadowhunter’s hip, Magnus straddled Alec’s lap, captured his chin between his thumb and forefinger firmly, and kissed the young man thoroughly on the mouth.

He pulled away suddenly, and grinned when Alec’s head moved forward to chase his lips.

“I love you too, darling.” Alec seized him around the waist and buried his forehead into Magnus’s shirt. Magnus lifted a hand to cradle the back of his boyfriend’s head against his chest and his other arm came up to wrap around his shoulders, holding him close.

It unnerved Magnus more than he wanted to admit…how much he didn’t want to ever let the Nephilim go.

**...**

Alec woke up the next morning, groggy but well-rested. Despite their earlier fight, he and Magnus still had a nice night of cuddling and idle chitchat until they fell asleep in one another’s arms.

...Speaking of Magnus, the man was no longer in bed with him.

Alec flopped onto his back clumsily and he laid there for several minutes, listening to the sound of melodic singing coming through the crack of the bathroom door. It was a woman’s voice, singing in some foreign language that Alec didn’t understand but Magnus most likely did. Eventually Alec dragged himself from the warmth of the bed so he could seek his boyfriend’s company.

He knocked on the door quietly and only opened it after Magnus called out for him to come in. The air in the bathroom was significantly warmer, the steam rising steadily off the water of Magnus’s bath. Though it was morning, the room remained dim with the dark curtains drawn over the window, eliminating the main source of natural lighting. Magnus had a few pillar candles lit along the counter, and they, combined with the music, created an inviting—

“Why’s your bathwater orange?” Alec asked, head cocked to the side.

“Well good morning to you, too, angel.”

“Good morning...Why is your bathwater orange?” Magnus snorted and flicked his fingers like he sometimes did when he was performing magic, but this time all he succeeded in doing was getting Alec wet.

“Sandalwood bath bomb. It relaxes me. Not to mention, it makes me smell _incredible._ Come join me?”

Alec surveyed the tub critically. It wasn’t exactly small, but he wasn’t convinced it would fit two grown men. He told Magnus that.

Magnus frowned and sat up. He scooted his butt backwards, opening his legs and gestured to the space between them. Alec laughed.

“I’d crush you.”

“No you would not,” Magnus huffed. “You may be a big, bad Shadowhunter, but you’re hardly going to crush me, darling,” he told him in a no-nonsense manner. Alec shrugged and slipped out of his underwear—the same golden pair he’d put on yesterday in hopes that Magnus would be the one taking them off of him, and shoved them in the hamper.

He climbed into the tub and sat between Magnus’s thighs, allowing himself to be pulled back to lay against a solid chest. Admittedly, it was a little awkward at first. His legs were too long to stretch out fully; he had to sink further down so he could lift them up and prop his feet up on the edge of the tub to make it work. He didn’t even care.

“Comfy, now?” Magnus’s arms had wrapped around him from behind, his chin rested on Alec’s shoulder, lightly caressing damp skin with his hands.

“Yeah,” Alec hummed and he could feel Magnus smile against him and then the and pressed a light kiss to his shoulder. “I’m going to smell like you, you know.”

“I know. I love it…I love _you_. I have a present for you.”

Alec’s head lolled along Magnus’s collarbone. “More underwear?”

Magnus’s chest reverberated as he chuckled against Alec’s back. “No, not this time, I’m sorry to say. Honestly, don’t be too excited—it’s a re-gift.” He laced their fingers together on their left hand and unfolded the washcloth that was resting on the side of the tub with his right.

He handed Alec the key to his apartment.

Alec gawked at it.

“Y-you—”

“Didn’t even wrap it, I know; it’s terrible. I’m trying not to let my mortification show right now.”

“Magnus, you don’t have to…” he said meekly, but his fingers curled over the key in his palm protectively anyway, like he was trying to hold on to it lest Magnus randomly changed his mind and tried to take it back. A warmth spread through him, flowing through his veins, that had nothing at all to do with the hot bath or even his boyfriend’s naked body cradling his.

“I know I don’t,” Magnus responded, his soft but steady. “But I want to…Alec…” he stopped for a second, either in hesitation or he was trying to string together the exact words he wanted to say, “I only have two keys: my own key, and that one in your hand. Sure, I could have another copy made, I suppose, but I’ve never been very good with trusting someone enough to let them have free access to my home. Not in a very long time.” Alec forced the lump that had risen in his throat back down, guilt overtaking him.

"I'm sorry for sneaking in last night. I just--I wanted to surprise you."

"Sweetheart, you are...you are the only exception. I always want you here. I miss you the minute you leave."

They laid in the tub together in a comfortable silence, soaking in the warm, sandalwood-infused water. Finally, Alec spoke again.

“What about—what about Raphael?”

He felt Magnus shrug his shoulders behind him. “I mean, of course I trust him. I have for decades but…well, Raph has two perfectly functional hands he can use to knock…plus, every time he comes over it’s usually in the middle of the night and he has Saunders with him.”

“He’s a vampire, of course he comes in the middle of the—wait—who’s Saunders?”

“Sheldon? Samuel?”

“You mean Simon,” Alec said dryly.

“Yeah—that one.”

“By the Angel, Magnus, you’re not even _trying_ to get his name right anymore, are you?” The man shook his head.

“No,” he said in-between peppering Alec’s shoulder and neck with little kisses, “No, I’m really not.”

               

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably not the 'first' everyone was hoping for, but who doesn't get into stupid, pointless fights every now and then? 
> 
> So...maybe a couple more chapters left? Is there anything you're itching to see before it's over? Let me know. :) I obviously cant fulfill a hundred different requests but I'm open to suggestions! 
> 
> Also, I'm sorry. A lot of you wanted to see Alec's revenge from the last chapter and I actually had something in mind but it wasn't going fit cohesively with the direction this chapter took. Maybe a separate one-shot? 
> 
> I'm rambling, now.
> 
> xx
> 
> CJ


	9. Magical

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi folks! I'm so sorry for the long wait! Honestly, this chapter has been mostly done for several weeks now. It's just been hard for me to sit down long enough to proof-read it. I'm not entirely happy with it, either.
> 
> I hope all of you lovely readers still enjoy it regardless.
> 
> Also, last half of the chapter is basically just sex. The other half is the random shit that pops in my addled brain.
> 
> LASTLY. Special shoutout to female_overlord_3 for suggesting some more time with the Chairman. :)

* * *

 

“Are you really making breakfast right now?” Sending his little sister the briefest of glances, Alec flipped over the bread on the griddle before quickly setting the spatula on the counter. Not missing a beat, he then snatched the tongs from their place beside the discarded spatula and proceeded to turn the sizzling bacon once more.

“Yeah. Pour me a cup of coffee would you?” he asked.

“You’re cooking, Alec,” Izzy said, her eyes wide and her voice perplexed. “You’re making _breakfast.”_

Alec paused, and then swore under his breath when his arm caught a spatter of hot bacon grease. “I make breakfast all the time, Iz,” he said brushing away the grease on his arm before finishing the task at hand.

Izzy gave him a cynical look. “Putting cereal in a bowl and dumping milk over it does not constitute as ‘making breakfast’, big brother. You’re cooking. Like really _cooking.”_

Alec scowled and turned both burners off. He withdrew several dishes from the cupboard and began plating food for himself and Isabelle.

“What’s your point? I was in the mood for French toast, so I made some French toast. Let’s not make a big deal out of it,” he groused as he set a plate in front of her.

Izzy was grinning widely at him. “I’m not even mad you cooked, knowing full well that I do all the cooking around here. It’s just so cute.” Alec turned around to glare at her as she took a bite of bacon, his arms crossed and his stance defensive, because he was _not_ _cute._

“I am not ‘cute’,” he said sharply and then he grabbed his plate off the counter and dropped down heavily into his seat with it.

“Okay, not cute,” Izzy indulged him even though something in her voice clearly told Alec she didn’t mean a word of what she said. “You’ve changed, though.”

Alec paused, fork midway to his mouth. He stared at her.

“What do you mean by that?” he asked shrewdly.

“You’re cooking breakfast for your family. A few months ago you wouldn’t be caught dead doing something so… _domesticated_. You’re a warrior and a diplomat. You don’t usually cook, you’re _terrible_ at doing laundry, and I’m pretty sure you’ve broken at least a dozen dishes in this kitchen.” She ignored his scowl as she wiped her hand on a napkin. “Not only the domestic stuff, though; you’re nicer to Clary, nowadays. _And_ Simon, too. I mean, you’re still a bit ornery at times, but generally speaking, you’ve been nicer, as well. At least you don’t go around all the time looking like you want to knock someone’s teeth out…Sorry—what I mean to say is: you’re in love. It looks good on you, big brother,” she finished kindly.

Alec stared at his plate; at the bacon and golden brown French toast that was good but didn’t seem to be as satisfying as Magnus’s always was, covered in gooey syrup. He speared piece with his fork distractedly.

“…Magnus gave me a key to his apartment,” Alec muttered. Izzy perked up in her chair.

“Alec! That’s kind of a huge deal. When did he give it to you?” Alec tried to stop the corners of his mouth from twitching upwards but he knew they got away from him a little, anyway.

“On Wednesday,” he told her. She beamed, her red lips making her teeth shine a brilliant shade of white.

“How did he do it? I bet he made it into some big romantic gesture, didn’t he?” she questioned, leaning forward eagerly. Alec tensed slightly.

 _Well, we were taking a bath together,_ he thought, _we were crammed butt-naked in a bath of bright orange water and he handed me the key to his apartment while I could feel his dick pressed against my back. It was honestly one of the best moments of my life._

Instead, Alec said, “No…it was actually pretty simple, for Magnus. He basically just handed it to me and told me he wanted me to be able to come by whenever.” Magnus had actually gotten a little more personal than that but Alec was never too keen on divulging those private moments to anyone else.

Those moments were theirs, alone.

“We actually had a fight the night before, though,” he added honestly. Izzy’s brow furrowed in concern.

“What happened? Do I need to defend your honor by kicking his ass?”

Alec rolled his eyes, “Yes, little sister, please go kick my warlock boyfriend’s ass, because, as a six-foot-three Shadowhunter myself, I am completely incapable of defending my own ‘honor’.”

Izzy set her coffee on the table so she could leer properly at him. “You’d get distracted by his ass before you had a chance to kick it.”

Damn it.

She was kind of right.

She didn’t need to know that, though.

“Whatever,” he said sardonically. He bit his bottom lip. “We…I was in his apartment, waiting for him to come home and Camille Belcourt showed up.”

Isabelle dropped her fork, her eyes narrowing. “You’re kidding.”

Alec shook his head. “I accidentally left the door unlocked, and she strolled right in like she owned the place.”

Izzy looked sour. “What did she say?”

“She just—she just wanted to throw it in my face that they use to—be _together_ ,” he said, giving her the abridged version. “Magnus came home a few minutes after she got there, though. He kicked her out.”

She seemed pleased at that. “Good riddance. But why did you guys get into a fight, then?”

Alec shrugged. “I don’t know. She just…got under my skin. It was stupid.”

“Ah,” Izzy said knowingly.

“What?”

“You were jealous,” she elaborated, looking aghast that she had to explain to him his own feelings. Alec bristled.

“I was not…shit…” he mumbled, slumping forward and resting his chin in his hand. Izzy flipped her hair over her shoulder unconcernedly.

“It’s _normal,_ Alec. You and Magnus have been together for a while now. I think it’s safe to say that you’re officially in a committed relationship. Camille and Magnus have a history together and she shoved your nose in it so you felt a little threatened by her. She’s pretty damn abrasive, even for a vampire. Just don’t let it become an issue, y’know? Magnus has made it clear he’s all about you, now. He likes that Shadowhunter booty,” she winked lecherously. Alec rolled his eyes with a snort.

“Right. Thanks, Izzy.” She patted his arm fondly.

“I’m really proud of you, Alec, you know that, right? For not getting married. For being true to yourself. For letting yourself be loved the way you deserve. I’m happy for you.” Alec grinned at her and placed his hand on the one she had on his arm, giving it a squeeze.

“Thanks, sis,” he murmured again. Izzy smiled back at him.

“This is delicious by the way, even if you _are_ stepping on my toes by making breakfast,” she told him, taking another bite of her breakfast. “I’m impressed.”

“Magnus makes it better,” he said.

“I bet he does,” she responded, smirking. “…Hey, Alec?”

“Yeah?”

“Is Magnus magical in bed, as well?” Alec dropped his fork, stood up, and walked out of the kitchen.

“Oh come on!” she called after him, “it was a harmless question!”

“Good _bye,_ Isabelle,” he called back to her.

“Buzz kill!”

**…**

“Hey, darl—oomph!”

“Sorry,” Alec mumbled into the side of Magnus’s head. Magnus chuckled and wrapped his arms around Alec’s waist, holding him securely.

“Well, you are certainly in a good mood. Did you have a good day, today?”

“Yeah, yeah it was fine,” Alec responded dismissively, kissing Magnus’s forehead and then he brought his hands up to cup Magnus’s face and brought him in for a kiss in the lips as well. Magnus’s own hands unlocked from Alec’s his waist and hooked his fingers into the belt loops of his jeans. He pulled Alec in flush up against him as their mouths moved together.

“ _Dios,_ you have no self-restraint, Magnus. At least wait until after we leave before you start molesting Nephilim children in your living room.” Alec jumped back like he’d been electrocuted at the sound of a painstakingly familiar drawl.

“I’m not a child!” Alec snapped indignantly.

“I don’t know, I think it’s kind of sweet,” Simon piped up, sidling up to Raphael’s left. “Nice to know that our residential Ben and Elaine are still going strong, even after the big smooch. You know what I mean?” he looked around at the other occupants of the room. “No? Has _no one_ else seen that movie? I wasn’t even _alive_ in the sixties like you guys!”

“…How old do you all think I _am?”_ Alec asked, his original state of horror shifting into one of mild irritation. His hands propped themselves on his hips.

“I didn’t mean you—I meant _these_ two,” Simon said gesturing haphazardly at Raphael and Magnus. “ _The Graduate_ is a classic. I’m ashamed of you both. We should totally have a movie night sometime.”

“We _really_ shouldn’t,” said Alec.

Simon grinned. “Your sister told me you didn’t like _Fifty Shades_ very much. I don’t blame you, I had no urge to see that one. Personally, I’m more of a _Star Wars_ fan, myself. Anything from _Marvel_ is fun too. The guy that plays Thor is pretty attractive.” Simon’s eyes flitted from Alec to Magnus briefly, and then back to Alec. “Maybe Loki is more your type, though? He’s got that charismatic and magical ‘bad boy’ thing going for him after all—”

“I want to turn him into a toad. Can I turn him into a toad, Raph?” Magnus interrupted smoothly, crossing his arms. Alec snorted.

Simon gave an unnerved yelp and pushed Raphael in front of him. The vampire glowered moodily at being used as a shield.

“As tempting as that idea is, because maybe, _just maybe,_ I’d get some peace and quiet for once—I’m going to have to deny you your request. Maybe next time. Right now, he and I have more business to attend to before sunrise. Come along, fledgling. _Adiós,_ Magnus...Magnus’s Shadowhunter,” Raphael said curtly. He nodded once, and stalked out, Simon sulking behind him.

“Bye, guys!” he said over his shoulder.

“Bye.”

“Farewell, Sigmund!” Magnus called back and then his eyes crinkled with mirth when Alec let out another huff of laughter and his arms wove around Alec’s body again. “Now, where were we, my dearest?”

Alec grinned and smacked a chaste kiss to his boyfriend’s mouth. “You were going to molest me in your living room and then feed me dinner,” he informed his boyfriend. Magnus beamed and his hands swooped down to squeeze Alec’s backside firmly before he let go and laced their fingers together more innocently. He walked backwards, pulling Alec toward the balcony with a happy expression on his handsome face.

“Will that suffice?” he asked jokingly.

Alec grinned, his heart fluttering (annoyingly) happily as he allowed himself to be guided outside. “…For now,” he said, moistening his lips with his tongue, his mind elsewhere. Magnus faltered for a second and his shoulder banged into the glass door that led to the balcony. “Shit, are you okay?” Alec asked, wincing as Magnus winced.

“Yes, yes, I’m fine darling,” Magnus reassured him, shrugging it off. “You’re not allowed to do that, though,” he added.

Alec blinked owlishly.

“Do what?”

“Distract me like that.”

“You find me distracting?” Alec asked, his head cocking to the side in a curious manner.

“I find you to be _very_ distracting, Alexander Lightwood,” Magnus answered without missing a beat. He pulled out a chair for Alec, as he so often did, and Alec plopped down obediently. Magnus had set up a small round table and two chairs opposite each other on the balcony. Around them were hundreds of tiny, white lights, illuminating the area. It was pretty. It was…so very _Magnus._ “Are you impressed?” Magnus asked as he slipped into his own seat.

“I find you to be _very_ impressive, Mister Bane.” Alec said teasingly, his foot bumping lightly into his boyfriend’s beneath the table and he dragged it softly up one and down one of Magnus’s ankles.

“My, my, someone is being rather flirtatious, this evening,” Magnus murmured. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were trying to get in my pants.”

“Good, because that’s exactly what I’m trying to do.” Magnus choked on his wine and it took him a second of coughing to regain his composure. His eyes watered slightly and he used his napkin to carefully dab his eyes, laughing throatily.

“What has gotten into you, Alexander?” he said, looking at him with a dazzling show of teeth.

 _“You,_ hopefully,” Alec muttered before he could help himself. He closed his eyes as soon as the words hit home, mortified over how _dumb_  and very _un_ sexy that sounded. The damage was done, though. He’d gone and embarrassed himself and ruined the romance with some stupid joke. “I’m—shit—sorry. That was too...I’m sorry.” Alec mumbled, pulling his hand that had covered his own mouth away just enough so his lips could move.

Magnus was looking at him with an indiscernible expression and he gently sat his wineglass down, eyes never leaving Alec’s mortified face. Slowly, Magnus leaned back into his chair.

“Alec?”

“So, what’s for dinner?” Alec tried asking brightly, feigning calm.

“Alec...”

“I’m starving,” Alec continued, draping his napkin over his lap. “I attempted to make French toast this morning. Izzy said she liked it. I think my parents had some too, or at least, my dad did and he said it was really good. But then again, anything is better than Isabelle’s cooking. Her French toast always gets really soggy and rubbery. It wasn’t as good as yours though." Alec paused, taking a sip of his ice water. “Shit—brain freeze!” He slammed his glass down and pinched the bridge of his nose, grimacing.

Magnus let out a quiet sigh, shaking his head slightly and then the strange look on his face morphed into one of bemusement. “Well, I’m delighted that you’re broadening your horizons, darling. Next time maybe we could make dinner together? I make delicious linguine with clam sauce. Or we could even make a pizza from scratch! I know how you love pizza. We could hand toss the dough and everything.” He removed the metal lid that was keeping his food warm as he spoke.

Alec nodded his head, his insides snaked together in a knot. “Yeah, that’d-that’d be fun.”

Mirroring Magnus, he lifted the cover off his plate, the aroma and steam hitting his face in a pleasant wave.

“This looks great,” Alec told him quietly.

Magnus beamed. “Well I hope it tastes as good to you as it looks, Alec.”

They ate their dinner in idle chat, soft classical music playing in the background. The food was quite delicious, Alec discovered, but every now and then, Magnus would open his mouth to speak, think better of it, then close it or say something that Alec could tell…was _not_ what he wanted to say.

Frankly, it was driving Alec more than a little crazy. Exhaling loudly, Alec set his utensils down. Magnus copied the action almost immediately.

Like he was waiting for Alec to cave.

“I’m sorry,” Alec said, scratching the back of his head uneasily.

“You have nothing to apologize for, Alec,” Magnus said, frowning.

“I didn’t mean to ruin tonight."  _Just like he'd ruined Tuesday evening._

_Tuesday..._

Magnus looked at him in wonder. “You didn’t ruin tonight, Alec. You just—caught me off-guard. It definitely wasn't an unwelco—”

 _“Tuesday!”_ Alec interrupted arbitrarily and then…he died. Not literally, but…he _died_. His heart stopped, his brain cells committed suicide, and if he wasn’t in a chair he would’ve probably collapsed face-first onto the ground in defeat.

Magnus blinked rapidly.

“Tuesday?” he repeated. Alec shot to his feet and walked into the living room. Magnus followed him, his eyes widened in bafflement. “What about Tuesday?”

Alec groaned and sank into the nearest chair.

Why couldn’t he ever _shut up?_

Silence _._

It would go down in the archives of Alec’s mind as the most awkward silence of his life. Suddenly, Alec felt Magnus approach him. The older man crouched down in front of him, both warm hands coming up to wrap around Alec’s wrists and attempted to tug them away from his face.

“Alec,” Magnus whispered, “This past Tuesday, when you came by here…what did you come over for?” Alec forced himself to meet Magnus’s dark brown eyes. He felt sick.

Magnus surveyed him kindly, his thumbs simultaneously stroking both of Alec’s hands that he was holding. “Sweetheart, be honest with me. Did you come over Tuesday because you wanted to have sex with— _Chairman Meow!”_ Alec’s head shot up with a sickening pop.

“What the _hell?”_ Alec sputtered but then Magnus was pulling away from him and flying towards the door. The door that was partially _open_. “ _Oh_ …shit…” Magnus ignored him. The man ran into the bedroom briefly, stumbled back out, and glanced around the open space of the rest of the loft for the animal. Then he pulled open the main door the rest of the way to peer outside.

Alec had never seen his boyfriend look so… _panicked_ before. He jumped to his feet and followed the warlock out the door. Magnus peered down the stairwell.

“Chairman?” he called. He scrambled down the stairs ranting in a foreign language—Alec assumed they were curse words by the harsh tone in the man’s voice. “Chairman! Answer Daddy! Chairman Meow!” Alec descended after Magnus down the stairs of the building.

“Chairman?” Alec called out, “Chairman, come back. I’ll pet your belly for as long as you'd like!"

Nothing.

By the time they got to the bottom floor, Magnus was beside himself with worry. His shoulders slumped. Alec rushed up behind him and wrapped the man in his arms securely, resting his chin on the man’s shoulder.

“It’s okay. It’s going to be okay, Magnus,” Alec reassured his boyfriend. “Chairman Meow will come home.”

“I’m going to _kill_ him! I’m going to decapitate him and throw his remains into the fireplace!” Magnus sniffed and disentangled himself from Alec after a moment. Alec let him go, arms dropping to his side as he watched Magnus stalk back upstairs, now with malicious intent.

Alec hustled after him, and was only slightly tempted to grab the other man’s ass in front of him. Now was not the time for that, though. “He’s a cat! He didn’t mean to get out, it wasn’t like he was intentionally trying to hurt your feelings. You know what they say, ‘curiosity killed the’—never mind, bad choice of words, um—”

Magnus stopped and turned around on the steps. “What in the world are you talking about, Alec?”

Alec looked up at him. “Don’t kill the Chairman!”

“Why would I kill the Chairman?” Magnus asked, disturbed.

“You just said you were going to kill—”

“Oh,” Magnus said, turning back around so he could continue up the stairs to his apartment. “No, I would never kill Chairman Meow! What do you take me for? No, I’m going to kill Solomon. He’s the fool who left my door open. All these little punks entering my home with no regard or common sense...”

Magnus withdrew his phone from his pocket and found Raphael’s name in his contact list. It rang not ten seconds before the Vampire answered.

“Raph! Where’s your fledgling? I’m going to kill the twit—he left my door open. My cat ran away—no, it wasn’t Alec. It was Sampson—Oh, I don’t _care_ what his damn name is—No! No, I—oh really? Don’t turn this on me, it wasn’t _my_ fault—don’t make me come over there and give you a piece of my mind…Oh really? If your mother could hear you now she’d wash your mouth out with soap Raphael. For fucks’ sake—oh yeah? Try it? I dare you! Or better yet, how about I…”

Alec sighed and opened the door to Magnus’s apartment, leaving the irate warlock (who was now firing back severe-sounding Spanish into the phone), in the hallway. He shut the door behind him and walked back onto the balcony, gathering their deserted dinner dishes. He carried them into the kitchen and set them in the sink.

Magnus’s voice was growing louder and his Spanish was sounding increasingly vicious. Alec went back for the wineglasses and blew out the candle in the middle of the table before bringing them back inside.

This was not how he anticipated the evening going down.

Shaking his head, Alec watched as a vibrant array of colorful sparks shot beneath the door from the hallway and Chairman Meow pounced at them enthusiastically, batting at the little embers with a tiny paw. Alec chuckled and set the glasses in the sink, running warm water of the dirty dishes.

Hold up.

He spun back around, his hazel eyes wide.

“Chairman!” he said, abandoning the dishes for the fur ball by the door. He scooped the cat into his arms and kissed him on the head before scratching him thoroughly behind the ears and beneath the furry chin. “Oh you’re not lost, are you, Meow? You must’ve just been hiding, huh? Your daddy completely overreacted. You're not lost at all—” he paused, gaze drifting back to the door worriedly.

He ripped the door open to see Magnus standing with his back to him, one hand holding his phone to his ear, the other gripping into his hair out of sheer frustration as he growled out threats to the vampire on the other end.

“Hey, Magnus—”

_“—los cojenes—”_

_“Magnus!”_ Alec shouted and the Chairman jumped as he raised his voice to cut off his boyfriend’s tirade. Alec petted him soothingly as Magnus spun around, his eyes in their own glowing, cat-like state.

“What—” Magnus froze, looking at the cat in Alec’s arms. He swallowed and pulled the phone away from his ear to gape and point at Chairman Meow for a second before returning it back to his ear and clearing his throat. “Never mind. Alexander just found him…No, I am _not_ ‘dramatic’…no. I’m just very passionate about—don’t be so uncouth Raphael…Yes, I know it’s a euphemism for a _cat_ , but you’re just being filthy. I’ll call you tomorrow… _Sí...sí_ …Okay.  _Adiós_.” He hung up the phone, a big smile stretching across his face.

Alec stared at him, astounded.

“Chairman Meow! You’re okay! I was so _worried_ about you, precious. You mustn't hide from daddy like that!” Magnus cooed. Alec looked down at the cat whose head twitched upwards to look back at him, slowly blinking his yellow eyes.

“Yeah,” Alec whispered to the feline, “Daddy is definitely crazy.”

Magnus hugged them both tightly.

**…**

“Alexander?”

“Hmm?”

Magnus rolled over to lay facing him. Alec opened one eye to peer at the warlock. Magnus was sans make-up, shirtless and clad only in a pair of red boxer-briefs. He looked serious.

“About Tuesday…” he began quietly. Alec groaned and made to roll away but Magnus’s arm stretched over him to prevent him from doing so. “No, no. Darling, please, talk to me. Don’t push me away.”

Alec gave him a pained look but relented. “It’s not a big deal. I just…I wanted to, you know? That’s why I came over. I guess I just wanted to surprise you. It was stupid. Then Camille came and ruined it, anyway.” Magnus supported himself on his forearm and used his other hand to trace little tickling swirls along Alec’s chest and throat, causing the skin to breakout into goosebumps and his nipples to pebble.

“You wanted to have sex?” Magnus stated bluntly, but his voice was quiet. Alec flushed slightly and he wondered if Magnus could feel his heart stutter beneath the fingers on his chest. Alec licked his lips and forced his head to turn away from where he lay fixated on the ceiling to face his boyfriend.

“I mean…yeah,” Alec said lamely. Magnus bent his head forward to kiss him on the mouth gently. Alec’s eyes fluttered closed for a minute, inhaling the scent of Magnus; he smelled like the sandalwood body wash from the shower he took after Alec’s own shower.

He smelled like the smoke from the candles he’d blown out after they finished sharing a bowl of chocolate mousse on the living room floor while Chairman Meow devoured a double helping of cat food in the kitchen.

He smelled (and tasted) a bit like peppermint toothpaste that made Alec feel like he was kissing winter and playing with fire at the exact same time.

Magnus had his hand cupping the back of his neck, fingers threading in the hair at the nape of it, pulling Alec closer into him and not letting go. They laid there in Magnus’s soft bed, laying claim to each other’s lips but it wasn’t enough for Alec. He needed…more. He needed Magnus, in every single way possible.

Perhaps he was too young to feel this way. Perhaps eight months wasn’t long enough to know if he’d found the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with—and Magnus, Magnus was a forever old soul in a forever young body, and maybe one day, when Alec was old and gray (if he lived to such an age), Magnus would no longer want him. In truth, neither of them could see the future, whether it would be eight more months from now, or eighty years. The future was not promised, not for Alec, nor any Shadowhunter, Mundane, or magical being…not even for Magnus Bane. They only had… _now._

They were here, together; finding something within one another, finding love, and peace, and happiness...Discovering a sanctuary in the embrace of someone they would’ve never thought they could.

A warlock and a Shadowhunter.

They were like night and day in many ways. Maybe that was what made this love feel so natural, Alec deduced. You couldn’t have one without the other unless the world stopped spinning on its axis, and really, who would _want_ that?

Magnus pulled away, his face mere inches from Alec’s and he panted slightly, licking his lips absently as he peered into Alec’s eyes. “What are you thinking about, Alexander?” Magnus murmured quietly. He slid up the sheets, so he was sitting up, his back against the headboard and long legs stretched out before him. Alec remained on his back, head on a one of Magnus’s pillows and he reached up with one hand to intertwine their fingers before he spoke.

He smiled slightly as he looked up at his boyfriend, “Do you think you could still love me when I’m old and…well, gross?” Magnus was lightly caressing the hand he held with his thumb. He stilled at Alec’s question and Alec wondered if they were the wrong ones to say, but he had to know.

“If old is _gross,_ I must be positively _ghastly_ ,” the other man stated wryly.

“You _know_ what I mean, Magnus. Wrinkly and gray, old. Not... _warlock_ old.”

Magnus smiled, a glimmer of sadness reflected in his eyes but Alec avoided thinking about it. He didn’t want to feel sadness. Not today. Not right now.

“I know,” he murmured. “…I will…I will love you, Alec, until the day I’m wrinkly and gray, too,” Magnus decided on eventually. Alec frowned.

“You’re _immortal_. You won’t ever…oh,” Alec said. Magnus gave him a small grin before leaning down and brushing his lips against Alec’s forehead.

“Right,” he began thoughtfully. His voice was low and soft, smooth like velvet, “then I suppose I won’t ever stop loving you, huh?”

Alec rolled his eyes in mock-exasperation but he couldn’t deny the sharp warmth press behind his eyes, trying to force its way out. He shoved them back as hard as he could. He swallowed the lump.

“Do you…do you remember when you were trying to save Luke after he’d gotten the alpha’s bite?”

“You’ll find that despite my old age, my memory is rather impeccable, dearest,” Magnus told him and Alec shot him a wry look but continued anyway.

“You said you needed me. My strength. I told you to take what you need.” Magnus nodded slowly, unsure as to where Alec was going with this, and Alec’s heart raced slightly. “Do you still need me, Magnus?” he asked.

“You know…it’s unnerving sometimes, but I find myself needing you more than I ever thought was possible, Alexander,” Magnus said quietly. Alec swallowed thickly again and his palms felt sweaty, but if it was unpleasant to Magnus, the man didn’t show it.

“If you need me, Magnus, then _take_ me. I…I want you.” 

Magnus looked back down to his face and Alec knew his cheeks were probably tinted pink but he met the gaze back steadily.

“Say that again?” Magnus asked, his voice slightly huskier.

Alec pressed his lips together. “And here I thought your hearing was impeccable, too.”

Magnus smirked, his eyes lighting up with a strange new fire in them and he rolled over, half on top of Alec, his hand coming over to plant itself right beside Alec’s shoulder, supporting some of Magnus’s weight and effectively caging the Shadowhunter like prey.

“I do,” Magnus said, kissing just beneath Alec’s left ear, close to the rune there. “I just want you to say it again.”

Alec bit his lip for a second, feeling rather foolish but he indulged the older man anyway. “Take me,” he murmured against Magnus’s mouth before said mouth devoured his once more.

They were kissing now, with an urgency Alec never quite experienced before; their bodies aligned, their hands were groping and caressing, and they rolled around on the bed wrapped up in each other’s arms. Their hands touched and mapped everywhere.

Magnus pulled away for a second time, this time leaving Alec’s lips in favor of marking up his throat instead, as if he forgot was a warlock and not a vampire. Alec didn’t mind, though; his neck was always particularly sensitive to Magnus’s administrations.

“How do you want to do this, love?” Magnus muttered in between his kisses. Alec was grasping Magnus’s biceps, keeping him in place hovering over him. His head was lolling to the side, giving Magnus free access to his throat.

“What do you mean?” Alec mumbled distractedly. Magnus nipped playfully at the deflect rune on his skin.

“Top or bottom, darling?” Alec’s jaw snapped shut with an audible click because while he knew what he wanted, he hadn’t ever voiced it aloud. He’d never said the words. Such simple, innocent words that people used every day…but in this context…they didn’t feel too simple or innocent. He must have fallen silent for a beat too long because Magnus prompted him again, his tone mild, “Alec?”

Alec’s mouth felt ash-dry when he opened his mouth again. Magnus regarded him silently for a moment as Alec tried in vain to relocate his voice. His face felt too hot, his stomach twisted into a knot.

“Maybe I should bottom for you the first time?” Magnus asked carefully, his hand resting easily on Alec’s hip. Alec’s head jerked slightly and the warlock’s eyebrows raised. “Would you rather me to top?” A jerky nod. Alec’s tongue felt too big for his mouth and he didn’t think he’d ever be able to form words again at this rate.

Magnus sighed. “Darling, do you remember me telling you that we need to be able to talk about this? Perhaps we shouldn’t do this tonight…” Magnus trailed off, patting Alec’s hip comfortingly.

Alec grabbed Magnus’s wrist and pulled the man on top of him a little roughly. If Magnus rejected him tonight, he didn’t know how he’d be able to handle it. He forced himself to speak, and when he did his voice was gravelly and rough. “No—please,” he said, “I want to—I just…”

Magnus cocked his head thoughtfully. “…Are you embarrassed that you want to try bottoming, Alec?” he said bluntly and Alec felt the heat in his cheeks increase tenfold and silently damned his fair complexion for coloring so easily. “Ah,” Magnus said knowingly, “you have bottom-shame.”

“I—I don’t,” Alec objected.

Magnus shifted on top of him so he was straddling Alec, the flat of his palms running up and down Alec’s firm chest, his thumbs idly stroking against his nipples like it was something one would do during every conversation.

“I think you do, angel,” Magnus stated, not unkindly. “I get it. There’s a societal stigma. Not to mention the Clave is so old-fashioned and narrow-minded…Alec, you must know—bottoming doesn’t make you any less of a man. It doesn’t make you _weak_ or _submissive_. This is all about intimacy and pleasure; not roles or stereotypes. I have topped and I have bottomed, I have been with both men _and_ women…what we like in bed, dearest, doesn’t define who we are. You are more than a ‘bottom’ or a ‘top’. You are more than a gay man, or a Shadowhunter, or a _Lightwood_ …Alec, my lovely Alec, you are so much more.”

Alec nodded, the gesture smoother than before and gave his boyfriend a small smile. “I love you, Magnus,” he told him. Magnus’s eyes sparkled happily and he leaned down to kiss Alec—his left cheek, then his right, up to his forehead, before settling finally onto his lips. Alec’s heart ached happily beneath his ribs.

“And I love you.” Magnus sat back up and climbed off Alec, climbed off the bed, and shooed the Chairman from the small chaise in the corner of the room. The cat yowled grumpily as Magnus swept him out of the room and shut the feline out.

“He’s going to hold a grudge against you for that, you know,” Alec said, using his arms to prop himself up.

“Yes, Yes, I know. But would you rather him jump on the bed while we’re getting busy?” He quipped. “…The only bites and scratches I want are from you, Alexander,” he added mischievously. Alec rolled his eyes to the heavens.

“You are quite shameless, Magnus Bane,” Alec drawled. Magnus snickered as he went over to his nightstand.

“What happened to _‘Mister_ Bane’? Or even better yet, ‘ _Daddy’?_ ”

Alec choked. “I have _never_ called—not _once_ —” he rasped.

“You certainly did. Perhaps not in a _sexual_ context, but you did. In the hallway earlier. It was kinky. I kind of liked it.”

 _“No,”_ Alec wheezed.

“Well, one thing at a time, yes?” Magnus stated nonchalantly.

“Not happening.”

“…”

“Magnus!”

“I didn’t say anything!”

“You didn't need to. I know that look.”

"I have many looks. All of which are heartbreakingly handsome."

Alec sighed.

Magnus waved a hand over the wood of the nightstand, using his magic to unlock it. Intrigued, Alec peered inside.

“What the hell is that?” Alec asked, pointing at a weird shaped item in the drawer amongst the condoms and several bottles of lube and massage oil. Magnus retrieved the item Alec was asking about to show him. “You know what? Never mind.”

“Prostate massager,” he told Alec anyway. He clicked it on, “It vibrates. Lovely little thing.” He clicked it back off, stretching his arm out so Alec could get a closer look.

Alec batted at the offending arm lightly and Magnus waggled his eyebrows suggestively as he tossed the toy back in the drawer. The warlock then moved to pull out a condom and two bottles and used his hip to shove the drawer back in. He set the items on the bed, flicked the light off and waved his hand, lighting the many candles Magnus kept around his room.

Alec laughed and gave his head a little shake. “Are we summoning demons or something?”

“Nope,” Magnus said drolly. He climbed onto the bed and crawled over to Alec, kissing him chastely on the mouth. “Just a virgin sacrifice on the schedule for tonight, my dear.” Alec rolled his eyes again.

“Try not to sound so smug.”

Magnus beamed. “Sorry. I’ll behave.”

Alec arched an eyebrow. “No, you won’t.”

“No, I won’t,” Magnus agreed. He kissed Alec again, deeper this time. When they parted, neither of them felt like joking further. It was like someone turned up the heat in Magnus’s room. Maybe it was the candles. “Turn onto your stomach, darling.” Alec swallowed nervously, but obeyed. He was only half-hard but he rolled over onto his front, feeling Magnus straddle the back of his thighs, and the sound of a cap snapping open echoed loudly in the sudden quietness of the bedroom.

Magnus tugged on the light blue briefs. “You certainly are an ‘angel’,” he murmured. “May I take these off for you?” Alec nodded into the pillow, his head turned to the side. Magnus snapped his fingers and Alec found his backside suddenly exposed to the air, to Magnus. The muscles of his ass clenched in anticipation.

He waited for a finger, but it never came. Instead he heard the wet sounds of lotion-slicked hands rubbing together, warming them up before Magnus’s hands reached down and rubbed firmly into the skin of his back. The hands worked the muscles along his shoulders, moving along the knobs of his spine with just the perfect amount of pressure, and Alec fell quickly into a puddle of relaxed goo beneath Magnus’s skilled touch.

Magnus massaged him for several minutes, the tension easing with every passing moment. It was a relatively noiseless affair, bar the happy little hums that managed to escape Alec. Finally, Magnus’s hands, fingers naked of rings but painted a glittery black, reached down and rubbed the rounded flesh of Alec’s backside.

Alec groaned louder.

“Feel good?” Magnus asked him.

“Mmhmm,” Alec replied. His breathing hitched when the hands moved away from the globes of his cheeks to slip between them, running gently along the crack. A lone finger skimmed delicately over his hole. Alec’s hips jolted back slightly into Magnus’s touch, his lower half tingling strangely and Alec wasn’t sure if it was magic or just from pleasure. Magnus scooted his way down his body, using his knees to part Alec’s legs, before he situated himself between them.

He separated Alec’s ass cheeks, _exposing_ him, and Alec shivered slightly as he felt Magnus’s breath tickle the area.

“M-Magnus—what?” Alec gasped out, his head craned to try to look at the other man but the position prohibited him from seeing him properly. Magnus stilled.

“You _can_ say ‘no’ at any time, Alec,” Magnus told him. “It won’t bother me either way. I just want to make you feel good.” Alec exhaled slowly.

“That-that _can’t_ be…” _That can’t be sanitary or even remotely enjoyable for you,_ he wanted to say but his mouth couldn’t seem to form words. He felt briefly mortified. Taking the hint, Magnus drummed his fingers along Alec’s hips.

“You’ve showered tonight. Plus, _magic_ , darling. You’re clean. You can trust me on that.”

Alec buried his face in the pillow, trying to suppress the embarrassment he was feeling. He _did_ trust Magnus. Magnus hadn’t given him a reason not to. He raised his head up and inch.

“Okay,” he breathed out, “Yeah.”

Magnus hesitated. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Alec replied. He cleared his throat. “I’m sure.”

Magnus kissed his tailbone lightly and then his thumbs spread him once more. Alec felt a tongue, one he was very familiar with already but never, _never_ quite like this before, licking a broad stripe directly across his hole.

Oh God.

He grunted, his face slamming back into the pillow as Magnus’s tongue laved at him, gently teasing at first and then more persistent, the tip prodding its way _into_ him and Alec let out a dry, muffled sob, his hips twitching desperately against the bed spread.

It felt good.

It _shouldn’t_ have felt so good.

It did, though.

_Really, really, fucking good._

Alec rocked a little, back and forth between the mattress and Magnus’s face and Magnus let him; guiding the movements with his hands gripping his hips so Alec could move just enough to work himself into full hardness. The sounds were wet. Licking, sucking, slurping. It was utterly debauched and Alec was rapidly becoming intoxicated by it all _._

It didn’t matter to Alec anymore; he found himself wholly unable to dwell on the weird reality of what was taking place. Magnus’s _tongue_ was _inside_ him, stabbing at his entrance wetly, working him open, loosening him up for Magnus’s fingers and ultimately for his _cock_ , and it was so _wrong_ that it was so _right._

Alec spread his legs, feeling rather shameless himself.

One finger.

His hands gripped the sheets tightly.

It prodded gently, alternating with Magnus’s diligent tongue, massaging the tight ring in small circles before it slipped in, shallow thrusts until it was to the last knuckle. Magnus pulled his mouth away as he pulled his finger back, crooked it like he had before, locating his prostate immediately.

Alec bucked into the mattress again with an embarrassing whine. Part of him was greedy for more. The other part of Alec, however, was dismayed at the possibility of coming prematurely if he allowed this to continue for much longer.

And he _really_ didn’t want to come yet.

As if Magnus sensed his predicament, the digit retreated from him completely and Alec shoved the pillow away, growling unhappily at the loss. He turned his head back around as Magnus lifted himself up and wiped his glistening mouth with the back of his hand. He looked at Alec with a raw hunger on his face.

Alec shivered.

“Shift up a bit, love,” Magnus urged, tugging Alec back by the waist so that he was on his knees and his eager erection lost the friction, now hanging heavily between his thighs. Magnus made a small noise of satisfaction at the change of position before he slipped the finger back in with little resistance. He wriggled it again, encouraging the muscle to relax enough so he could add another finger.

 _Two_ …

The increased stretching stung just like it had several weeks ago, when Alec first had this done to him. He pushed against it, willing his body to accept the intrusion and Magnus popped the lube back open with his free hand, letting some more drip down Alec’s crack and onto the fingers still halfway inside of his body.

Magnus fingered him, carefully, almost too _slowly_ , and Alec found himself pushing against Magnus’s hand, trying to chase his pleasure as Magnus rubbed against his prostate languorously. Alec knew that he was likely ruining Magnus’s expensive blankets but by the time Magnus added a third finger he no longer cared about that. The twinge of pain returned, as Alec expected, as did the incredible pressure against that spot inside of him.  

Resting his forehead against the bed, Alec breathed as deeply as his lungs would allow while bent over. He wondered what he looked like right now, face down and ass up in the air…he pushed away the depraved image his mind conjured up before it could make him feel too self-conscious. Magnus kept whispering soft words of reassurance to him, one hand fucking into him while the other stroked along his damp spine soothingly.

Magnus was holding back. He wasn’t battering his prostate as much as he had the first time they did this. This was…foreplay. The other man was teasing him only enough to open him up and to make him feel _needy_. To make him crave more than just fingers.

It was working.

Alec snapped his hips back again, his fingers gripping roughly into the bedding. “Please,” he found himself gasping out. “Please…”

“Hm, please, what, Alexander? Tell me what you want,” Magnus said casually, his finger’s twisting inside of him in blissful torment.

“Fuck me! Damn it, _fuck me, please, I need you,”_ Alec panted at him, too horny to care about anything but getting what he wanted right then and there. The (already inept) filter on his mouth was like his virginity: rapidly fading away. He was desperate for Magnus.

 _All_ of him.

Every. Single. Inch.

Alec swallowed.

Magnus hissed out something in, by the sounds of it, his mother-tongue. Alec didn’t know many Indonesian words but he could guess the intent behind these ones.

“It may be wise to continue like this for your first time. Easier angle for penetration,” Magnus said in English, his voice thick with desire. Alec raised his head off the bed and shook it wildly. It felt unusually heavy.

“No, on my back. I want to—on my back.” 

Magnus looked uncertain. “It’ll be more uncomfortable that way, Alec.”

Alec shook his head. “I don’t care. I want to see your face.” _Man_ , he wondered hazily, if he’d still _sound_ like a wide-eyed virgin when he was no longer one.

Magnus relented and withdrew his fingers. In an impressive show of strength, he had Alec flopping onto his back and settled himself between the Shadowhunter’s parted knees.

“Well I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to see your face, too. You are so very _sexy_ when you come,” Magnus said appreciatively. He stretched an arm out and a pillow sailed through the air from where it had been shoved to the floor previously. “Lift up for me, darling.” Magnus fenagled the pillow beneath Alec’s hips.

Alec’s heart began pounding harder than ever because this was really… _happening_.

Magnus looked at him seriously. “A little pain can be normal. If it’s too much, tell me and we will stop. I know you, Alec. Don’t try to put on a brave face for my sake. There are always other things we can do to satisfy ourselves…I won’t have your first experience with sex be painful or traumatizing. Promise me you'll speak up if you're unhappy.”

“You make it sound like you’re about to perform some invasive medical procedure,” Alec told him dryly.

“Anal sex _is_ pretty damn invasive, Alec,” Magnus told him and Alec’s face warmed at his words. “Promise me.”

“I—okay, _okay_ , I promise.”

Appeased, Magnus seized the condom he’d retrieved earlier and Alec made a noise of protest. The warlock stopped again to look at him.

“I’ve never—before. And it’s not like warlocks catch Mundane diseases,” Alec explained. “I mean, you still can, if you’d prefer…I don’t mind if you’d rather but you don’t _have_ to—” Magnus’s eyes gleamed and he threw the condom over his shoulder careless as to where it landed, and snatched up the tube of lubricant instead. He poured more onto his fingers, this time coating his straining erection.

“Magnus,” Alec murmured, opening his legs up further in invitation, “take the glamour down. Your eyes, I want to see them.” He settled back onto the pillows as Magnus observed him with a surprised expression.

He let the illusion drop, his cat-eyes flashing gold-green as he looked at Alec, his usually narrowed pupils dilated.

Magnus arms hooked underneath his thighs, heaving Alec’s lower half closer towards his lap. He took hold of his erection in one hand and lined himself up to the opening of Alec’s body. The head caught the rim, tapping against it promisingly, and then Magnus leaned forward and supported himself over Alec with his free hand. Magnus pushed the head of his cock against his entrance, advancing into the puckered opening.

_By the Angel._

It wasn’t quite like Magnus’s fingers.

Despite Magnus’s warning, Alec didn’t really think it would… _hurt_ like this.

Alec’s body jerked involuntarily and he couldn’t stop the disgruntled noise from escaping. Magnus’s cock was wider than his fingers had been and as it pressed in, the pinch of being penetrated was unavoidable. Alec tensed, his body screaming for Magnus to retreat.

“Alec? We can stop.”

He grabbed Magnus’s arm to keep him from pulling away, shaking his head fervently.

“No, _no_ , I’m fine. Just—just go slow,” he said. “Please don’t stop.”

He could do this.

He was _going_ to do this.

Alec had always put everyone first. His parents, his siblings, his parabatai, the damned Clave.

Now it was his turn to do something for himself.

By the Angel, he was going to do this.

He wanted it, more than anything.

Magnus kissed him gently as he shifted to try again, still guiding his erection with one hand.

“You’re doing so good, Alec,” Magnus murmured into his ear. “I need you to relax for me, though, okay? Inhale nice and deeply. It will help, I promise. Breathe in, keep breathing in…” Swallowing, Alec complied to Magnus’s instructions and the man slipped into his body, the head finally popping into him with less resistance. "Good, _so_...good. There we go..."

Alec shuddered at the sensation, his face was scrunched slightly from discomfort but he kept nodding to Magnus, determined to keep going. Determined to win the battle of wills against his body.

 _Yes_.

_He could do this._

Gradually, Magnus advanced into him; hot, rigid flesh separating tender tissue for the first time while Magnus’s free hand reached up to stroke his flagging erection. Alec groaned. The pleasure and the pain dueled with one another for domination as Magnus continued with the breach of the Shadowhunter’s body.

It wasn’t unbearable.

It was just…a lot.

 _Overwhelming_.

It took longer than Alec imagined it should have, for Magnus to seat himself fully inside of him but Magnus was so… _cautious_.

Alec looked at his boyfriend, marveled at the fascinating glow of his ethereal eyes and the tanned skin that was covered in a thin sheen of sweat. He watched closely as Magnus’s breathing became shallow and his stomach muscles were contracting, like it was all he could not to shove in to the hilt and just start humping the living daylights out of Alec.

Finally, Alec could feel the press of Magnus’s groin against the swell of his ass and he finally allowed himself to exhale. They stayed joined together for several moments, Magnus never moving as he kissed Alec’s mouth languidly but thoroughly with his tongue. Alec was too dazed to let the fact Magnus’s tongue had been corrupting his ass ten minutes’ prior bother him.

The warlock wove the fingers of his left hand in between Alec’s own. He pinned their joined hands gently beside Alec’s head.

“You can move,” Alec told him and Magnus nodded. He slid out maybe and inch and Alec’s eyes flew open and he gave Magnus a look of horror, his mouth agape. His body stiffened reflexively causing Magnus to still inside him once more.

Sensing his dilemma, Magnus bent his head to Alec’s ear.

“I know what you’re thinking and I know what you’re feeling right now and I know you don’t want to say it, Alec, but don’t worry. You’re fine,” he whispered. “It’s just like my fingers, okay? You’re clean, I promise.”

Cheeks blushing vividly in embarrassment, Alec gave him a short nod, and Magnus retreated another inch before pressing back in. His thrusts were shallow and unrushed as he let Alec get use to the sensation.

“You’re doing so good,” Magnus kept repeating, his eyes shutting occasionally as he gave way to his own pleasure.

_Magnus was inside of him._

_This was it._

_He was having sex with Magnus, his boyfriend._

A year ago, Alec would’ve never allowed himself to dream of something like this. Of being intimate with another man. A _man_ that he was in love with.

Freely.

Openly.

He kissed and nipped at the warlock’s bottom lip and their gazes locked onto each other. Apparently it was the silent consent Magnus needed because his boyfriend gave him a small smirk and then he quickly changed the angle of his hips and snapped them upwards, hitting Alec’s prostate dead on. Alec hissed out an expletive as Magnus surged up onto his toes and rode that spot inside of him repeatedly, tormenting Alec in the best way possible.

The pain ebbed away, the uneasiness Alec was feeling dissipated with it, and eventually Magnus’s thrusts became longer, his hips undulating against his ass in little circles before pulling out to nudge against his prostate. It…felt good…so _good_. He felt impossibly full. It was better than he ever thought it could be and he didn’t even care if his legs were spread wantonly or that he was pretty much whimpering every time Magnus ground his pelvis balls-deep against Alec’s ass.

“Fuck, baby, you feel so good around me,” Magnus groaned against his throat. “So good, so tight, all _mine_...” Alec gulped for breath, every thrust into his body stealing the oxygen from his lungs.

Magnus…Magnus _really_ knew what he was doing.

It was like he had read a manual or seen a blueprint of every erogenous zone on Alec’s body before they got into bed. Magnus seemed to know exactly where to touch, how to move his hips, how to keep pushing Alec toward his peak. Little tears of pleasure prickled the corners of his eyes and his nails bit into strong biceps.

Alec’s head craned up, latching onto the juncture between Magnus’s neck and shoulder and mouthed at the skin there, nipping just so, in a way _Alec_ knew Magnus liked. A litany of filthy words expelled from the other man’s mouth that normally would have Alec feeling scandalized but they only managed to amplify everything Alec was feeling with every drag of Magnus’s cock inside of his body.

Alec tried his best to meet Magnus’s thrusts, but his attempts only succeeded in throwing the other man’s rhythm off. He didn’t stop, though. He _couldn’t_ stop. Magnus didn’t seem to mind the change into a more offbeat tempo, either. They rocked together erratically, both of their body’s slick with sweat and lube, clutching at each other so tightly that they both would surely be left with bruising come morning.

It wasn’t like a choreographed love-scene in a movie and while it _felt_ erotic and sexy, Alec was certain they probably looked like a human pretzel with their limbs wrapped around each other, more than anything.

He was never going to look at pretzels the same way.

Alec had also never seen Magnus so…wrecked. His hair was falling to his forehead, dampened by exertion. His face was make-up-less and his pupils were blown wide. He raked his nails along the backs of Alec’s legs that were linked behind him. Alec’s heels dug into the flesh of the warlock’s backside in response.

He didn’t want to let go.

Magnus sucked a bruise on the underside of Alec’s jaw as he picked up his pace. Alec swore loudly and his eyes rolled back into his head for a minute, for once not in sarcasm or annoyance but instead, from the jolt of excitement that shot through him as he was pounded methodically into the mattress. His head was dangerously close to the headboard and Alec reached a palm above him to keep from being banged into it.

Magnus licked the sweat from his lips. His chest, neck, and throat were flushed a warm pink and his abs were contracting with every panting breath. Magnus seemed to gather what Alec was trying to avoid because he suddenly grabbed Alec by his thighs and yanked them both a few inches back down the bed.

“ _Fuck, fuck,_ fuck me,” Alec gasped, his head was growing foggy as the sensations overtook him, but it wasn’t quite enough. As if reading his thoughts, Magnus snatched Alec’s hand and guided it to his neglected erection, pumping the rigid flesh between them with their joined hands before releasing him. He planted his hands on either side of Alec’s head for leverage and rolled his hips against Alec’s ass.

Alec‘s legs tightened around Magnus’s waist. He pushed up enthusiastically to meet every drive into his body and he knew that he’d be feeling Magnus there for days. He clung to Magnus, writhing and pleading for more, surrendering to everything the warlock was doing to him.

His hand was still wedged between them, working tirelessly along his length. He felt his orgasm building inside him, hot and intense, like lava threating to erupt and Alec’s insides twisted and snaked together. He stroked himself with one hand and reveled in the stimulation of hundreds of nerves that seemed to be located in his ass. It was…it was so much. How was it possible for anyone to feel _this much?_

Alec reached his free hand up to bring Magnus in for another round of kissing. It was a brief encounter though, as Alec’s breathing started coming out in harsher gasps.

“There— _there_ —By the— _Angel_ , I _can’t_ —I-I’m going to, _fuck—shit_ , Magnus, I—” he babbled out nearly incoherently, the words tumbling from his mouth with every slam into him. Nevertheless, Magnus nodded his head in understanding, his eyes glowing fiercely.

“Let go, Alec…let go and come for me— _yes—fuck!”_ Magnus groaned against him, his voice finally breaking and he shifted again, aiming once more at that spot inside of Alec that he knew would be his undoing.

It was.

Alec cried out, his body snapping like a rubber band; his back arched into Magnus, his legs seized tightly around the warlock causing Magnus to surge back into him deeply. Alec’s body convulsed around him in little spasms as he peaked. His release spattered onto his stomach, onto Magnus’s as well, a sticky mess between them.

Neither of them cared.

Eventually, Alec sank back down from his high. His legs unlocked tiredly from Magnus’s waist and the older man resumed his previously vigorous pace. He placed a hand on Alec’s chest, almost like he was pinning a butterfly to a board as he continued fucking Alec relentlessly, seeking his own crest within the Shadowhunter’s willing body. 

It was oddly thrilling.

The haze of Alec’s blissed-out mind cleared a little and Alec found himself clamping his internal muscles hard around Magnus’s erection experimentally. The other man cried out in alarm and then gritted his teeth. Alec gave a self-satisfied grin and repeated the action.

Magnus grunted and his hips stuttered into Alec in sharp jabs—once, twice, three times, until he slammed home and ground his hips  intensely against Alec’s ass. It stole Alec’s breath away in a silent sob.

A new feeling of warmth flooded him as Magnus bowed over his body, the muscles of his arms and stomach rippling like the aftershocks of an earthquake as he rode out his orgasm.

Just like that, it was over. Magnus’s arms gave out and he completely collapsed on top of the younger man, unable to hold himself up any longer. Alec didn’t mind the added weight. Magnus turned his head so he could press a light kiss to Alec’s shoulder and Alec lazily stroked a hand up and down the man’s sweaty back, not at all put off by it.

After a few minutes, Magnus gathered himself and lifted his pelvis away from Alec, causing his waning erection to slip from his used body. Alec let out a strangled noise; his ass clenching around nothing but air now and it was decidedly not the best feeling in the world to be so abruptly empty. He shuddered, feeling completely wrung out but missing the connection all the same.

Magnus slid off Alec and dropped down beside him. When his head turned to face Alec, his expression was one of obvious gratification. His hand came out to grip into the Shadowhunter’s.

“Are you okay, darling?” he asked, still sounding somewhat winded.

“Wow,” was all Alec managed. He sounded breathless.

“I’ll take that as a ‘Yes, I am okay’ then?" Magnus confirmed with a small chuckle.

"I am… _better_ than okay,” he decided. Gingerly, Alec rolled over and hooked his left leg over both of Magnus’s. He rested his head on the man’s broad shoulder like it were a pillow and Alec’s body was a blanket.

He paused.

“…Why are your canopy hangings smoking?”

Magnus looked up at them blearily.

“Minor side-effect of a mind-numbing orgasm,” he told him, wholly unperturbed by the damage.

Alec smiled, content with Magnus’s response. “Do you think you can clean us? I don’t think I could move even if I wanted to…but, I’m pretty sure I’m, um, _leaking_ on your sheets,” he mumbled sheepishly.

With a tired huff of laughter, Magnus snapped his fingers once in a pop of magic and then they were both clean—perhaps not as satisfying as a shower would’ve been, but it was adequate at a time like this.

“Mm, you’re quite magical,” Alec whispered sleepily. His brain was foggy, his entire existence limp and fully sated. Magnus wrapped his arm around his shoulders and Alec moved his head so they could kiss again. “Can we stay in bed forever?” Alec joked when they parted. “You can magic us up food and water and-and you know, lube and stuff.” Magnus chuckled louder this time.

“Sounds like a marvelous time. We could make love in between warm naps and five-course-meals,” Magnus added dreamily. Alec nodded against Magnus’s clavicle. His fluffy hair must’ve tickled the warlock’s face because Magnus brushed his hair back with his hand.

“I wish it could always be like this,” Alec sighed and then he tensed slightly. “That came out wrong. I mean, just this…this is nice. No worries or responsibilities. No threat of Valentine…”

Magnus put in quietly, “No Clave butting in or pesky clientele ringing my phone…”

“Right,” Alec agreed. “Just-just…”

“Just you and me,” Magnus finished for him. He pressed his lips to Alec’s forehead. “I like this too, darling. It’s nice to forget the world every now and then.”

They laid in silence for several comfortable minutes. Alec traced little patterns on the warlock’s chest as Magnus continued to comb his fingers through Alec’s hair.

“So…I know I’m not the first person you’ve ever been with, but you told me before…I mean…I’m your first Shadowhunter, right?”

“Hmm, you certainly are, Alexander,” Magnus told him, shifting up so he could kiss the crown of Alec’s messy head of hair. Alec felt a twinge of satisfaction at that.

“And…um, so, what’s…the verdict?” his voice sounded rather meek, much to his chagrin. Still, he was curious.

He felt, rather than saw, Magnus’s grin this time.

“Heavenly, my angel…Absolutely _heavenly.”_

 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think I've ever written this detailed of a sex-scene before. I tried to make it feel realistic and by doing so I'm not sure if it still turned out as sexy as we like our smut to be. But first times are a lot of trial an error, even with a literal pro like Magnus Bane.
> 
> Until next time.  
> xx


	10. The Gift

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, folks, this is the end of the road. I might throw in some one-shots here or there that comply with this story (i.e., for those who wanted to see Alec's promised revenge on Magnus for the skimpy underwear gift. I haven't forgotten!), but this chapter seemed like a good place to end on for the bulk of their story. 
> 
> After all, we're less than a month away from getting a ton of new material! (That 60 second MALEC trailer...I'm not going to survive season two)!
> 
> THANK YOU, from the bottom of my heart, for those who've read, given kudos, commented, and bookmarked, this story. It's meant so much to me. I'm so glad I didn't leave it as just the one-shot I originally intended it to be. It's been a blast.
> 
> Now, on with the final chapter of "Tell Me What You Want, Alexander" :')
> 
> xx  
> CJ

* * *

“I have no idea what to get. I’m not good at this kind of thing, Isabelle,” Alec huffed. His voice sounded rather irritable and he tried to keep it in check. After all, it wasn’t Izzy’s fault he wasn’t good at relationship stuff. If anything, Alec was annoyed with himself.

“He likes art. Maybe get him a new piece of wall art for his apartment?” Alec blinked and looked over at Clary who was perched on the chair in his bedroom, one of her knees drawn up to her chest. She had her chin propped on it.

“He likes one-of-a-kind pieces created by famous painters that have been dead for _centuries_. Not some mass-produced, copy of a work by someone no one’s even heard of before,” Alec told her sourly. Clary took his (slight) attitude in stride.

“I happen to know that those hammered-metal sconces he has hung up in his loft were purchased from the _Pottery Barn…_ And I’m almost positive _Michelangelo_ didn’t carve those busts he has around there, either, _”_ she informed him lightly.

Alec glowered at her.

“I’m just saying,” she said, hands out in front of her in a placating gesture, “That it’s not a _terrible_ idea!” Alec flopped back onto his bed with a heavy sigh.

“No one wants _art_ from their significant other for their _birthday!”_ Izzy said, rolling her eyes in disbelief.

“Alec?” Lydia’s voice came from the other side of the closed door to his bedroom. “Can I come in for a moment?”

“Yeah,” Alec called back and he raised back into a sitting position so he didn’t look so helpless and defeated. Lydia opened the door. Her hair was pulled into a fancy braid and her lips were a nice shade of red. She smiled at him.

“Hey. I just wanted to let you know that Magnus Bane will be here within the hour. I didn’t know if you’d spoken to him yet so I figured I’d stop in and let you know. I’m having him come by to strengthen the protections he placed around the institute.”

“Damn it,” Alec groaned out, slumping.

Lydia looked taken aback by his reaction. Izzy shook her head, looking aghast.

 _“Jewelry!_ You’re dating a man who has a better collection of jewelry than I do. Get him some bling.”

Alec worried his lips with his teeth.

“I’m sorry, did I interrupt something?” Lydia asked, perplexed. Izzy shrugged haphazardly and stretched out her legs in front of her on Alec’s bed. Her high heeled feet crossed themselves at the ankle.

“No. Alec’s just having a coronary embolism at the moment because Magnus’s birthday is coming up and he doesn’t know what to get him.”

“Ah,” Lydia said. She folded her arms over her chest and leaned against the wall thoughtfully. “Well, if you don’t mind me asking Alec, has Magnus hinted at anything? Maybe he mentioned something that he’d like, in passing, to you. Perhaps something that caught his eye…?” she offered.

“No. Anything he wants or needs he just…magics up or well, buys it for himself on these little whims of his. You guys saw the car. He’s the High Warlock of Brooklyn, why on earth would he need a car?” He scratched his jaw feeling hopeless. “…And Izzy, I don’t think Magnus would _want_ me to pick him out jewelry...or clothing, for that matter. He’s got a unique sense of style and expensive taste…I’d have to steal funds out of the Institute’s treasury to afford anything like that. I’m pretty sure one of his designer shirts cost more than my entire wardrobe put together.” He rubbed a hand over his face tiredly.

“You’re being too hard on yourself, Alec. It’s the thought that counts the most,” Clary said kindly. “I’m sure Magnus would be happy with whatever you picked for him. He loves you.”

“Exactly,” Lydia added encouragingly. “Gifts don’t have to be extravagant or expensive to be worth something, Alec.”

Alec picked at the rip in the knee of his jeans, his frustration only increasing. “He keeps telling me not to get him anything at all. He said he just wants to spend time with me and that that’s enough. But it’s not enough. We spend time together all the time, so that’s nothing new. I’m going to screw this up.”

“I think that when it comes to Magnus, you’re more than enough, Alec. He looks at you like you hung the moon and stars. You could get a ring out of a gumball machine and he’d wear it until his finger turned green,” Clary told him.

And Magnus probably _would_ wear it. Nonetheless, Alec still felt compelled to wow the pants off his boyfriend with some romantic gesture. Magnus had hundreds of birthdays; Alec wanted nothing more than to make the warlock’s first one with _him_ into one of the most memorable. That was a lot of pressure, even if it was self-inflicted.

“My brother’s right, though. Magnus does have a more…fabulous taste,” Izzy acknowledged appreciatively. “He picked out these shoes for me,” she added happily, lifting one of her feet to show them off to the occupants in the room.

“I do like those,” Clary said. “I think I’d break my neck if I tried to walk in them, though.” Izzy just gave her a proud little smirk in return, clearly proud of her ability to hunt demons in six-inch heels.

“I’m glad you love your shoes, Izzy, but can we focus?” Alec drawled, unimpressed.

Izzy pursed her lips. “You’re rather grouchy today, big brother. Fine. I have one more idea. If you don’t like it, then you’re on your own.”

“Shoot,” Alec told her.

“Does he have any fantasies?”

“Any fantasies?” Alec repeated blankly. Clary bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing and Lydia raised a hand to her mouth to cover a grin.

Izzy nodded. “Like…like, the strict professor and the naughty schoolboy?” she offered. Alec stared at her. “…Schoolboy needs an easy ‘A’? Maybe he needs to be taught a lesson for acting out in class?” she prompted after Alec’s lack of retort.

Alec gaped at her.

He closed his eyes.

He opened them.

Nope, Izzy was still there, smiling with a mischievous glint in her big, brown eyes.

“Isabelle,” he started, his voice struggling to stay even, “Please leave.”

Izzy scoffed. “You’re dating a _Downworlder!_ Loosen up and have some fun, Alec! Besides, it’s a relatively inexpensive but _very_ rewarding gift. You’d really just need some costumes, a prop or two—”

“I am _not_ dressing up like a schoolboy!” Alec sputtered, jumping off his bed as if it burned him. “Leave. Leave now. _Please,”_ He urged, the pitch of his usually deep voice was climbing high and for a minute Alec felt like puberty rescinded on him.

Izzy and Clary both shuffled to their feet and headed to the door with Lydia. His sister frowned suddenly and turned around, cocking her head to the side.

“So you’d be the schoolboy in that scenario, then?” Izzy asked. “Interesting.” She stood unyieldingly in his room, surveying him up and down. “Is this a bad time to mention you have a hickey on your neck? Just there, behind your ear.”

“Oh my _God_ , leave!” Alec said, one hand slapped over the mark that lingered on his neck and the other one shot up to point irately to the door. He shut the door behind them and flopped heavily onto his lumpy mattress, ignoring Izzy’s cackling in the hallway. He should’ve known better than to ask his little sister and the redheaded pipsqueak for advice. He couldn’t deny that the young women were both fierce and strong. They could also be immense pain-in-the-necks when the mood struck them.

Picking up his discarded phone, Alec smiled when he saw Magnus’s name on his lock screen with several missed text messages.

 **MAGNUS (8:11 am):** Good morning, darling!

 **MAGNUS (8:14 am):** Lydia invited me to the Institute. I need to strengthen the wards. I’ll be there at 9:30.

 **MAGNUS (8:32 am):** What are the chances your lovely mother is in Idris?”

 **MAGNUS (8:34 am):** What are chances you’re naked right now? ;)

Alec grinned like an idiot at his phone. Even after nine months of dating, his stomach still fluttered annoyingly…even at the random text messages his boyfriend sent to him. Since the butterflies seemed to have become permanent tenants of his gut these days, Alec figured he’d have no choice but to learn to coexist with them.

Rolling onto his front, he pressed Magnus’s names in his contact list. He clicked on the video chat. Magnus picked up after three rings.

“Good morning, sunshine!” Magnus said cheerfully.

“Good morning,” Alec responded with a puzzled frown. “Why am I looking at your bathroom ceiling?”

“I’m just finishing up my hair. Hold on…” The ceiling blurred suddenly as the phone was tilted up to face the mirror. The warlock’s glittery iPhone was now propped up against a large red box on Magnus’s counter that Alec knew held the man’s make-up. Alec could see Magnus’s reflection in the mirror, along with a large portion of the bathroom. “How’s that, darling?”

“Much better,” Alec replied, resting his chin in the hand now holding onto his phone. “Sorry to disappoint, by the way. I’m fully clothed. Do you still want me?”

 _“Of course_ I still want you, lover,” Magnus replied with an easy smile. His fingers were working styling gel through his hair.  Alec flushed at Magnus’s words. There was something rather…intimate about being referred to as ‘ _lover’._ He gave the older man a pleased grin. “You could be wearing a bunny suit right now and I’d still want you,” Magnus added.

Alec snorted. “Under what insane circumstances would I ever have cause to dress up as a bunny?”

“I don’t know. Mundane Halloween party? Starting a bizarre new fashion trend? Too much to drink? Maybe so I could carry your cute, cuddly self around with me wherever I went.”

“You and I both know I don’t _like_ parties, Magnus. I don’t like fashion trends. Carrying me around everywhere is probably a little impractical, not to mention a tall order…and really, have you ever gotten so drunk that you’ve dressed up as a _bunny?”_

Magnus pondered for a moment, “Well, no, not a bunny…Let’s not open that can of worms right now.”

Alec shook his head. His boyfriend was something else. “What if I dressed as a clown?”

Magnus paled and his eyes glanced at Alec’s face on his phone screen. “You _know_ how I hate clowns! Don’t you _dare_ dress like one.”

Alec smirked.

“I swear by the _Angel_ , Alexander Gideon Lightwood; if you dress as a clown, I will find the biggest, most grotesque spider possible and put it on your pillow while you sleep,” Magnus said darkly.

It was Alec’ turn to whiten. He shuddered, looked over his shoulder to be sure there wasn’t suddenly a spider hanging around, and then looked back at his boyfriend.

“Okay. Okay! I promise, no clowns. I _promis_ e,” he rushed. He looked over his other shoulder.

“Relax, dearest,” Magnus said in a gentler voice. “…Kills demons without so much as a second thought but _spiders_ … _spiders_ scare my big, bad, Shadowhunter…” he muttered, more so to himself than to Alec.

Alec glared at his boyfriend’s handsome reflection and then Izzy’s earlier suggestion creeped unwelcomely into his head. “What if I dressed up as a—as a naughty schoolboy? What would you do then?”

He regretted it as soon as the question left his mouth but then it was too late; the words were out there into the air of the bathroom and absorbed by the warlock.

Magnus stopped coiffing his hair as he thought about it. Slowly, a grin crawled across his face.

“Well…well, then, I imagine that I’d have to bend you over my desk and teach you a very _thorough_ lesson, Alexander,” Magnus murmured lowly. Alec didn’t know what kind of response he was expecting from Magnus, but it wasn’t…that.

A shiver ran down his spine and his body felt pleasantly warm.

Alec licked his dry lips absently.

“I have to say, I’m surprised at you, Alec,” his boyfriend continued casually as he finished molding his hair into perfection. “I didn’t think you’d ever suggest something like that.”

Alec didn’t mention that it had been his little _sister’s_ idea. To be honest, if it were just Alec, he probably wouldn’t have ever thought of that scenario on his own. He’d never had much opportunity to experiment with sexuality. He rarely allowed himself to fantasize as a teenager because fantasizing would have meant admitting he was gay. For so many years, he wasn’t willing to admit it, even to himself.

Now everything was out in the open.

Now he… _could_. And, as much a _Fifty Shades of Grey_ horrified Alec, the idea of kinky sex with Magnus was kind of…thrilling. Though, maybe not quite so…intense. After all, they’d only had sex once.

A mere _week_ ago.

But, it had been incredible and Alec wanted more of it. All of it. He _wanted_ to experiment. Something told him Magnus wouldn’t have any objections to that.

“Well,” Alec said after clearing his throat a little awkwardly, “I’m full of surprises.”

“You certainly are,” was all Magnus agreed.

“Magnus,” Alec said after a moment.

“Yes?”

“Would you _please_ just tell me what you want for your Birthday? A—a hint or something. Anything.”

Magnus sighed and washed his hands in the sink longer than it was necessary. He dried his hands on a fluffy towel. “I told you at least seventeen times that I don’t want anything, sweetheart. We’re going to have a nice evening together. That’s all I need. No gifts necessary…” he picked up his iPhone and peered into Alec’s face. “So, stop worrying your pretty little head over such trivial things and meet me outside the Institute in five minutes. It’s best to get all my kisses in before your mother swoops in like a vulture wanting to tear me into bite-sized pieces.”

Alec gave an uneasy chuckle. “Yeah. She does that…” he looked at his boyfriend apologetically.

Magnus smiled at him back. “It’ll be fine. “I’m rubber and she’s glue and all that.”

“I think Izzy and I used to use that phrase when we were like…eight.”

Magnus shrugged. “I’ll have you know that I know that I invented that idiom in the nineteen-twenties.”

“Did you really,” Alec stated in a voice that clearly implied he didn’t believe Magnus at all.

“No, but I could have.”

“Yes, you _could’ve_. If you thought of it first. But you _didn’t_.” He wondered vaguely, how many long-deceased people were rolling around in their graves because some other person, doused heavily in hair gel and glitter, was taking credit for their famous words, inventions, or other worldly contributions. He tried not to laugh at Magnus's antics.

Magnus sighed theatrically. “You’re so very _salty_ before your morning coffee, young Lightwood. Come outside and kiss me. I’ll see you in three minutes. Love you.”

“Love you, too,” Alec replied, shaking his head as he hung up his phone. As soon as Magnus’s face winked to a black screen, Alec rolled out of bed, shoved his feet into his boots and shuffled out of his bedroom.

He’d had absolutely no success in procuring a gift idea for Magnus. What did one get a centuries-old warlock who had literally _everything,_ for his birthday, anyway?

**…**

Magnus didn’t like many people. Years and years of dealing with all sorts of corruption, cold-hearted, and selfish people had calloused his heart. Oh, he could be genial. He wasn’t so cold, like Camille was, who only used people for her own amusement. He’d just developed reservations when meeting new people. He wasn’t one to open his heart left it get broken, again.

Then Alec came into his life and unintentionally upturned everything. Magnus didn’t believe in love at first sight. That whole concept was laughable. Love…love was deeper than that. He wouldn’t trivialize the intensity of his love for Alec by declaring it an instantaneous thing.

No. It had only been an instant attraction. Lust, really. Lust was always quicker and easier to manifest itself, than love.

Then they spoke. Some bad joke about meat. It was charming.

Magnus flirted, shamelessly.

Then he’d discovered Alec’s struggle with accepting himself.

Magnus had…sympathized. He knew what it was like to feel like an outcast. To feel lesser. However, Magnus learned how to command a room. He learned how to stop _caring_ what others in the room thought of him, and say what was on his mind anyway. He learned to live for himself. He learned how to take pride in his differences.

He hoped, someday, Alec would get there too. While the younger man had undeniably grown since Magnus had known him, Magnus could tell that Alec still felt shame for being gay. Disappointed that he couldn’t just be straight, because then things would be simpler for him. He’d be more readily accepted by others.

While the young man had a very impressive poker-face, Magnus could _see_ that wounded look in those big hazel eyes of his every time Alec would get a passive-aggressive text from Maryse or whenever Robert eyed them warily if his son and Magnus were within ten feet of each other. It was there, hidden beneath a standoffish expression.

Magnus’s heart broke a little each time he saw that desolate look in Alec’s eyes.

Now, inside the Institute as his boyfriend stood by him looking uneasy under the watchful eyes of his mother, was one of those times. Magnus was barely listening to the conversation behind him as he recreated the symbols needed for the wards over the Institute…and then, it happened.

“…services are rather costly, today. I rather remember your bill being steep, but this is—”

“It’s fine,” Lydia murmured, taking the contractual agreement smoothly from Maryse’s hand. “The amount, of course, will be paid in full.” She paused before adding warmly, “I’m grateful for your help, Magnus, as always. Thank you.”

“Not a problem at all, dear Lydia,” Magnus said, finishing the last seal with a resolute snap of his fingers. He turned around and smiled at the blonde woman cordially. She had a good heart and was always kind to Magnus, even after he crashed her wedding and made out with her groom.

Maryse observed him stiffly. Her hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail, her clothes were form-fitting, but modest, and she wore an expression of poorly concealed for distaste. “If that is all, then, Alec,” she said crisply, her eyes flitting over to her statue of a son, “please escort your…warlock out of the Institute.”

It wasn’t as bad as it could have been. Sure, Maryse was being spiteful, but it could’ve gotten uglier. He cocked an eyebrow aloofly and turned to his boyfriend.

He stopped.

Alec’s face had grown stony as he regarded his mother. His spine became rigid. His hands clenched down by his sides and his eyes narrowed.

“That ‘warlock’ has a name, Mother,” Alec said in a quiet, deep voice. He sounded disappointed. “It’s Magnus, in case you’ve forgotten. Or maybe you’re just too self-righteous to bother to remember, I don’t _know_ anymore. But-but despite whatever issues you have, he doesn’t deserve to be treated like he’s beneath you whenever he comes here. He’s just trying to help us.”

For a split-second, Magnus noted an abashed look on Maryse’s face but then her eyes flashed and she rounded onto her eldest son. She scoffed.

“He is only trying to help _you_. He doesn’t care what happens to anyone else in this building and you know that. Don’t be so gullible, Alec. If you weren’t ‘ _dating’_ him, he would not care what happens to you, either. Don’t fool yourself into believing his motives here are anything but selfish.”

Alec gritted his teeth. “At least he’s trying to help someone else,” Alec started. His voice was brittle and not as soft as it was a moment ago. “All you ever do is help yourself. I’m not going to sit around and watch you debase Magnus. Warlock or not, I’m starting to think he’s got more compassion in his little finger than you have in your whole body.”

Robert looked between his son and wife with wide eyes. He placed a hand out towards each of them complacently.

Magnus watched on, dumbfounded.

There was so much he wanted to say to Maryse Lightwood. So much he _could_ say to put her in her place. Part of him desperately wanted to wake her the fuck up and force her to realize what she was doing to her son.

However, Magnus knew that it wasn’t _his_ place. He’d stand by Alec’s side, of course. He’d stay for as long as the young man wanted him to stay. He’d protect him, do anything for him that he could, but this…this wasn’t one of those things.

This was Alec’s fight.

Magnus swallowed. He remained silent.

Robert, however, didn’t get the memo. He took a step between them like a physical, bald-headed buffer.

“I think we all need to calm down. Alec, why don’t you and Ma—”

“No,” Alec interjected. His voice was low and even.

He was…he was commanding the room.

Even the onlookers were stunned into silence. The ever-obedient Lightwood heir was disobeying his parents. It was like Magnus was watching Alec up on that altar all over again.

“No,” Alec repeated. “I’m done with everyone making excuses for all the goddamn prejudices around here! Magnus is more than just a warlock or a _Downworlder_. He’s a good man and I love him. I—I refuse to apologize for that! I’m not ashamed of who I am and I wish you both weren’t ashamed of who I am, either. But if you are, that’s on you. Not me. Not Magnus. That’s on y _ou.”_

Magnus’s heart clenched in his chest. His hands shook by his sides so he crossed his arms to hide them.

“This is hardly about me or your father,” Maryse said coldly. “My personal feelings aside, Alec, it’s you who who’s tarnishing the Lightwood name. Everyone here, everyone back in Idris, knows Alec Lightwood as the boy who ran away from his own wedding and into the arms of a warlock. Nothing else we’ve accomplished here matters anymore! Years of hard work and dedication wasted so that you can play house with a Downworlder! Instead of behaving like a child, perhaps you should own up to what you’ve done to this family.”

Alec let out a (slightly hysterical) laugh. “I’m not going to live a lie so you can sleep easier at night, Mom! I have my truth, I’ve accepted it, and I sleep just fine now. In bed, with _Magnus_ ,” he snapped, a slight flush developed on his high cheekbones and his nostrils flared. Magnus could see that Alec was barely managing to keep a level-head anymore. “Honestly, I’ve never felt so goddamn happy in my life! Your opinion—or anyone else’s—doesn’t matter to me anymore.”

“Happy?” Maryse shot back incredulously. Her voice was frigid. “These choices you’re making in your youthful naivety are going to ruin your life, Alec.”

 _“Choice?”_ Alec gave another short, derisive laugh. Magnus itched to wrap his arms around him, to sooth him, to sooth the ache he knew Alec was feeling in his chest. “That’s the problem, isn’t it? You act like my being gay was a choice I made as some personal vendetta against you! It’s who I _am!_ I am not sorry because I’ve done nothing wrong…It’s not like I chose to join the _Circle_ with _Valentine_.” Robert flinched and Maryse reeled back slightly as if she were slapped. Still, Alec wasn’t done. “All I did was fall in love a someone who just happens to be a warlock, too. But, you know what, even if I could change things, I wouldn’t ever want to give up what I have with Magnus…and if you loved me, Mom, you wouldn’t want me to, either. _Enough is enough,”_ his voice broke slightly but Alec shook his head like he was physically trying to clear his head before finally moving away.

The younger man walked passed them all, ignoring the eyes of those around him that had stopped to watch the fallout, and reached for Magnus’s hand. Magnus took it immediately. He could feel Alec’s hand trembling the tiniest bit. His palm was dampened from nerves.

Magnus’s was too.

He didn’t trust himself to say anything, though.

They barged through the doors of the Institute, stepped down onto the lawn, and Magnus wasted no time portalling them both home.

**…**

Alec couldn’t breathe as he stumbled out of the portal into Magnus’s apartment. The warlock reached out to steady him before he was guided to Magnus’s couch and pushed gently onto it. His mind was whirring. For several minutes, it was like he’d been a man possessed.

Magnus was pushing something into his hands—a warm coffee he must’ve acquired magically from the Starbucks a couple blocks down. Alec took a sip gratefully. It was black, with sugar, just like he preferred. Magnus was crouched down in front of him, one of his hands rubbing his knee reassuringly.

“Are you going to be all right, Alexander?” Magnus asked him after a minute. Alec nodded his head.

“Yeah. Did that—did that really just happen?” Alec asked, looking at Magnus bewilderedly. “I don’t…I don’t what came over me, Magnus. She just…She wouldn’t stop looking like— _that_. Like it was this terrible thing to be in the same room with you! You don’t deserve that and I’m so sorry,” Alec said miserably. “I didn’t mean to make a scene. I— _by the Angel,_ I-I made a huge scene, didn’t I? I just…it was like something in me finally snapped. I just couldn’t take it anymore. It’s been almost a year and she’s still—” Alec broke off with an expression of horrified distress. Magnus took the coffee out of his hand and set it on the coffee table wordlessly.

Magnus rose to his feet, cupped the side of Alec’s face, and leaned in for a firm kiss. His lips were warm against Alec’s, slightly possessive, and Alec tugged Magnus onto the couch with him, causing the man to land halfway on top of him.

Then he felt it… _tasted_ it on his tongue.

Salt water.

A _tear_ …

Alec pulled back, his eyes wide as he looked at his boyfriend.

His boyfriend, who was crying. Another lone tear beaded up and slid down his cheek.

Alec had never seen Magnus crying before.

Sure, he had witnessed the man in many emotional states before; angry, happy and sad…but never to the point he… _cried_. Frowning, Alec lightly thumbed the tear.

One more followed. He wiped that away too.

“Why?” Alec whispered, looking at Magnus worriedly.

Magnus’s eyes fluttered shut and he shook his head from side-to-side before dropping his head down onto Alec’s shoulder. The held onto each other but Alec couldn’t seem to slow his hammering heart. Why was Magnus crying? It…couldn’t have been his Mother’s words. Magnus never let Maryse get to him.

“Magnus…?” Alec murmured. “Please don’t. Please don’t cry. I love you, don’t cry…” Alec wasn’t good at this. He wasn’t good at dealing with emotions. Not his own and certainly not anyone else’s. How did he do this? How did he make Magnus feel better? He clutched the older man tightly to him.

After a long moment, Magnus finally withdrew his neck and wiped away the dampness left on his face. His eyes were shiny but free of tears as he gazed intently and Alec once more.

“I’m so proud of you,” Magnus told him quietly. He reached down and took both of Alec’s hands into his own decorated ones. “Alec, I am so, so proud of you.”

Alec stared at him, dumbfounded.

 _“That’s_ why you’re crying?” Magnus nodded, chuckling slightly as he brought Alec’s hands up and kissed the back of each one.

“Centuries' worth of birthdays and that’s by far the best gift I’ve ever gotten from— from anyone. Oh, sweetheart…” He kissed Alec again.

“I don’t get it,” Alec told him between peppered kisses. “I really don’t get it. What is happening right now?”

“Alec...Shadowhunters and Downworlders don’t mix. You know that. But—but for you to do that—to stick up for me like that in front of so many people, to your own mother...” Magnus scrubbed a hand over his face and Alec was astonished by Magnus’s lack of his usual eloquence. “It’s more than that though. So much more. I love you for what you said about me...but what I love more, Alexander, is what you’ve said about _yourself.”_

He squeezed Alec’s hands.

“I know it’s not easy being different. Trust me. I mean, this is coming from a bisexual, Asian _warlock_ who wears glitter and nail polish,” he grinned wryly, shaking his head. “It’s not easy. People are judgmental. Whether you’re a Mundane or a Nephilim or a Downworlder, the world can be cruel to us all. But the best thing you can do, Alec, is to accept yourself for everything that you are and everything that you are not. _That’s_ why I’m proud of you.”

Alec chewed on his lips as Magnus let go of his hands in favor of settling down snuggly beside him. They sat in silence for a minute.

“I just wish my mother would…accept me, too. Why doesn’t she accept me?” his voice grew quiet and Alec wasn’t sure himself if he was asking Magnus or an invisible force in the universe for answers.

Magnus looked doleful and he stared straight ahead at the far brick wall but Alec could tell he wasn’t really seeing it.

He was lost in something else.

“Sometimes, the truth can be unnerving to those who don’t understand. I’m not stranger to mothers who have a hard time accepting their son.”

Alec turned to look at Magnus in surprise. Magnus never talked about his family. Considering that the man had outlived them all, Alec imagined that the pain of loss made it difficult to bring up. By the way Magnus sounded strained and distant, he couldn’t help but wonder (not for the first time) what Magnus Bane’s childhood was really like.

Magnus’s eyes darted back to his face without the glamour and Alec reveled in the amber-colored cat-eyes that he’d come to love.

Realization hit him harsher than a bucket of ice water poured over his head.

“Oh…” his heart sank to the floor.

Magnus blew air through his pursed lips like he was trying to expel bad memories. “She hung herself out in our barn when my warlock marks showed up as a child. I was ten. Turns out, taking her own life was easier than accepting that her son was fathered by a demon and not her actual husband...Regrettably, this tends to be the reality for many of my kind. Most parents don’t love discovering that they have half-demonic offspring, after all,” Magnus surmised for him with an empty smile. His eyes phazed back to dark brown and stayed that way. Alec squeezed Magnus’s knee in comfort.

“I’m so sorry, Magnus.”

Magnus shook the apology off. “It’s all ancient history, Alec. A thing of the past. I think, in your case, your mother will come around in due course. Maryse is…I think much of her issues are rooted in her own insecurities. She’s ashamed of some of her own life choices and that makes her quick to want to place blame on the shoulders of other people. If she belittles others, in turn, she ends up feeling better about herself.”

“That makes sense. It certainly sounds like her lately,” Alec agreed moodily. “She’s not one to be easily swayed from her opinions, either.”

“If, in time, she cannot accept you, then she does not deserve to have such an extraordinary man for a son,” Magnus said firmly.

“I love her," he croaked, "I’m frustrated, and angry, and hurt, but she's still my mother and I still love her.”

“I know, _sayang_ , I know you do.” Magnus shifted and kissed the corner of Alec’s mouth tenderly.

Alec smiled weakly and then he rested his head against the back of the couch in silence for a while as he sorted through the chaos of his mind.

“You know it’s because of you, right?” he stated eventually. “That I’ve learned to accept it all? I didn’t want to tell anyone. I figured if I played it safe, if I followed the rules, then no one would ever find out. I was hell-bent on never letting my emotions get in the way. I always said that—that they were too much of a distraction. That’s why I pushed you away: because you made me feel, for the first time in a long time, you made me feel something other than this-this feeling of hopelessness that I had festering inside me. It was all so confusing and it made me so frustrated with you because at first I thought you didn’t understand. That you were playing games...I thought you didn’t respect how much my family means to me.”

The words flowed past Alec’s lips on their own accord. He expected Magnus to stop him after that, to defend himself or something, but Magnus just sat there quietly, legs crossed like Alec’s were now, with one painted hand resting on Alec’s worn jean-clad thigh. He was letting Alec say what he needed to say, which felt great, because for once, Alec had a lot to say.

“I was going to marry Lydia. I was going to live a lie because the reality of being gay was too terrifying to face. I was so desperate to help my parents, to make them proud of me for once, that I was willing to sacrifice my own happiness to do so. I felt so _sick_ at the wedding. Every part in me was screaming at me to not go through with it but I pushed those emotions down like I always do and I ignored them. I was going to marry her, because I had a duty to my family.

“And then you showed up and—I couldn’t _breathe_. And I knew I _couldn’t_ go through with it. I knew then, that you were never really trying to play games with my head like I accused you of. I knew then, that-that you were just trying to save me from making this huge mistake. Truth is, Magnus, I think, in a way, you understood me better than I understood myself. You knew I had a duty to my family but you didn’t want me to ignore the fact that I had a duty to _myself,_ as well. You helped me realize that—that it’s better to be true to myself, you know? That I deserve to be with someone I could really love. In every way. I guess you could say you’ve…unlocked something in me. Something that it turns out I really kind of…like.” Alec finished.

In that moment, Alec realized that regardless of whatever backlash he would have to face at the Institute later, despite his parents' issues with his lifestyle, nothing could ruin the way he felt right now. He felt _lighter_. He felt, for the first time in months, even years, that the future was full of possibility.

Magnus beamed, and his eyes were glassy again as he pressed a soft, lingering kiss to Alec’s forehead. He carded his fingers through Alec’s hair before standing up. Magnus offered a hand to Alec who observed it perplexedly.

“I haven’t danced in ages—aside from club dancing of course, which isn’t the same at all. For years before you, there was no one in a long time that inspired me. I used to _love_ to dance, though. I suppose I’ve just missed having a partner worth dancing with…So, Alexander Lightwood, will you dance with me?” Magnus asked with a smile that seemed to light up his face. Alec took his hand in wonder and allowed himself to be guided off the sofa.

“What?” Alec said blinking rapidly. “Da—? But—but there’s…no music,” Alec pointed out, his stomach twisting apprehensively.

He was not a dancer.

He was most definitely, _not a dancer._

 _“'And_ _those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music…’_ ” Magnus quoted flippantly. “But if music accompaniment is what you prefer, then—” he snapped his fingers and soft classical music floated through the room pleasantly.

Damn it.

“Let me guess: you, in the sixteenth century?” Alec quipped.

Magnus looked mildly offended. “Friedrich Nietzsche was not alive in the sixteenth century, you sassy little Nephilim,” the warlock admonished without missing a beat. “And no I never bedded him,” he added when Alec opened his mouth. “Don’t try to change the subject.”

“Magnus,” Alec protested, “I _can’t_ dance!”

Magnus shook his head as he pulled Alec away from the couch and into a more open space. “Sure you can, darling. Everyone can dance. I’m not asking for the _Tango_ or the _Waltz,_ here. Keep it simple and you’ll be fine, I promise. You know what they say, ‘fake it ‘til you make it’,” Magnus said optimistically. _“...Also_ not me,” he added swiftly.

He wrapped his arms around Alec’s waist and Alec wound his arms around the other man’s broad shoulders, feeling doubtful. It was more of a hug than proper dancing form.

“Just so you know, it's your own toes at risk here,” Alec told him drolly. Magnus tilted his head up to kiss him on the mouth.

“A risk I am more than willing to take,” he murmured into Alec’s shoulder.

"..."

It _was_ simple.

It was like one of those awkward school-dances in the movies where the couple clung to each other and shifted from foot-to-foot so that they slowly turned around in small circles.

It hardly qualified as an actual dance.

It was…

It was kind of great, Alec decided.

He pressed his cheek against the side of Magnus’s head. “Magnus?” he asked after a while.

“Yes?”

“Do you think we can make it?”

Magnus pulled away the tiniest bit to look at Alec. His eyes were warm and loving, his hands were a firm presence on the Shadowhunter's hips.

“I _believe_ we can make it, my Alexander. I truly believe we can.”

The fucking butterflies were back.

A million, beautiful, wonderful, magnificent, _butterflies._

That’s—that’s what I want, Magnus, more than anything,” Alec confessed, his face a hairsbreadth away from the other man’s. He closed the space between them and brushed their lips together in a whisper of a kiss.

_“…That’s what I want.”_

 

* * *

 


End file.
